Representation of women in science, technology, engineering, and math is making progress. However, some disparities are still prominent between men and women in STEM careers. These fields include computer science, engineering, economics, and physics. The pay gap is also prominent between men and women in all STEM fields.

Based on data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), women represented 45% of students majoring in STEM fields in 2020, up from 40% in 2010 and 34% in 1994. IPEDS has tracked fall enrollment by major field of study and gender since 1994 including engineering, biological sciences, mathematics, and physical sciences.

The Research Science Institute (RSI), the most prestigious summer STEM program for high school students, reports that female students will outnumber male students for the first time in 2022, representing 55% of accepted U.S. students, up from 22% in 1984.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, female students represented 58 percent of total undergraduate enrollment in fall 2020. According to the National Student Clearinghouse, 59.5% of college students were female as of spring 2021. Women are more likely than men to enroll in college directly after high school.

Based on data from the 2017 follow-up to the 2016 Baccalaureate and Beyond longitudinal study, women represented 53% of Bachelor’s degree recipients in science, engineering and math, 65% of Bachelor’s degree recipients in psychology and other social sciences and 80% of Bachelor’s degree recipients in health and medicine.

Women represent only 16% of Bachelor’s degree recipients in computer and information sciences, 21% of Bachelor’s degree recipients in engineering and engineering technology, 27% of Bachelor’s degree recipients in economics and 38% of Bachelor’s degree recipients in physical sciences.

Women represent 48% of Bachelor’s degree recipients in mathematics and statistics, 63% of Bachelor’s degree recipients in biological and biomedical sciences and 83% of Bachelor’s degree recipients in health professional and related sciences, preferring social and behavioral sciences and non-STEM fields.

Women are also less likely to major in math, computer science, science, engineering and technology as compared with men.

Although the representation of women in STEM is increasing, women continue to get paid less than men.