Jobs that are related to STEM fields have long been overrun by members of the male gender, but in spite of the fact that this is the case, it seems like the tide is finally starting to turn. Female representation in STEM fields might soon become a lot higher than might have been the case otherwise, at least according to a new study that is coming out of the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics.
The biannual report titled Diversity in STEM tracks those jobs that require bachelor’s degrees in these fields, with all of that having been said and now out of the way it is important to note that more women are entering these industries. There has been a 31% uptick in the number of women working in STEM fields over the past decade or so.
Back in 2011, there were just 9.4 million women in stem, but this has increased to 12.3 million as of 2021. As for men, there were 19.7 million of them working in STEM occupations in 2011, which increased to 22.6 million by 2021. That represents a 15% increase, which is less than half of the growth rate of women in the field.
However, there is still a huge gulf between the proportion of men occupying STEM roles as compared to women. Women are about 51% of the population, yet they only represent 35% of all of the jobs in STEM related fields with all things having been considered and taken into account.
Disparity in pay is also dangerous because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up making women feel like they are not getting what they are owed from their respective jobs. Men earn just under $65,000 per year on average, or $64,998 to be precise, and women just earn $59,931 for the same roles.
This just goes to show that while the industry is becoming more diverse, there is still a long way to go. It will be interesting to see how the tech industry responds to calls for more inclusive hiring policies.
Read next: Find Your Cybersecurity Animal: Are You a Hawk, Lion, Ostrich, Bull, or Possum?
The biannual report titled Diversity in STEM tracks those jobs that require bachelor’s degrees in these fields, with all of that having been said and now out of the way it is important to note that more women are entering these industries. There has been a 31% uptick in the number of women working in STEM fields over the past decade or so.
Back in 2011, there were just 9.4 million women in stem, but this has increased to 12.3 million as of 2021. As for men, there were 19.7 million of them working in STEM occupations in 2011, which increased to 22.6 million by 2021. That represents a 15% increase, which is less than half of the growth rate of women in the field.
However, there is still a huge gulf between the proportion of men occupying STEM roles as compared to women. Women are about 51% of the population, yet they only represent 35% of all of the jobs in STEM related fields with all things having been considered and taken into account.
Disparity in pay is also dangerous because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up making women feel like they are not getting what they are owed from their respective jobs. Men earn just under $65,000 per year on average, or $64,998 to be precise, and women just earn $59,931 for the same roles.
This just goes to show that while the industry is becoming more diverse, there is still a long way to go. It will be interesting to see how the tech industry responds to calls for more inclusive hiring policies.
Read next: Find Your Cybersecurity Animal: Are You a Hawk, Lion, Ostrich, Bull, or Possum?
