Employment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations is expected to grow 10.5 percent between 2020 and 2030, which equates to one million job openings over 10 years. However, while women make up nearly half of the workforce in the U.S., they comprise only 29 percent of the STEM workforce.

Recently, Thomas Insights released a report focused on Women in Industry. The "By the Numbers" newsletter featured the latest news and analysis on top stories.

According to Thomas industrial research, occupations in STEM in the U.S. have increased by 79% since the nineties. Although there are many STEM career paths, the sector most women occupy is healthcare.

Women make up 74% of workers in healthcare-related jobs. Of the 9.8 million employees, women represent 7.3 million. Women also hold 48% of life science jobs and 40% of physical science jobs. They make up 25% of computer professionals and represent 15% of the engineering workforce.

In math-related fields, women represent 47% of employees. 27% of the cybersecurity sector is made up of women.

However, the Harvard Business Review found that women in STEM careers were 45% more likely than male employees to leave the STEM field within just a year of work because of hostile work environments. Additionally, women in STEM earn about 74% of what their male counterparts earn.

According to the Harvard Business Review, only 8% of Fortune 500 companies are led by women and just 1% by women of color. Of STEM CEOs, 3% are women.

Men are 7x more likely to be depicted in STEM roles in TV and movies. If the rate at which the gender gap in STEM is closing remains the same, women would be equally represented on corporate boards in 2045. Board positions for women in STEM rose 18% in 2020.

According to Thomas industrial research, women said that STEM programs are the most effective pathway for them to enter the manufacturing sector. Of the 15.8 million manufacturing employees, 30% are women.