Women Are Getting Into STEM Careers at a Faster Rate Than Men, Report Finds

pcmag.com:

Jobs in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) have long been male-dominated—but the 2023 "Diversity in STEM" report(Opens in a new window) from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) indicates that the gender gap is closing.

The report, which is published every two years, defines the "STEM workforce" as those with at least a bachelor's degree, as opposed to the "skilled technical workforce, including workers with a high level of technical knowledge but without a bachelor’s degree." It does not include a non-binary category.

The most recent data shows women are taking on STEM positions at a faster rate than men. "Between 2011 and 2021, the number of women in the STEM workforce increased 31%, from 9.4 million to 12.3 million," says the NCSES. "For men, 22.6 million were employed in STEM occupations in 2021, up 15% from the 19.7 million employed in 2011."

This rapid growth has earned women a 3% increase in their inclusion in the STEM workforce, up from 32% in 2011 to 35% in 2021—that number was just 8%(Opens in a new window) in 1970. Men are still over-represented in technical positions, though; they hold the remaining 65% of STEM positions.

That means men are still making most of the money in these industries. "Employment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has a positive impact on the pocketbook," says the NCSES. "STEM workers had median wage and salary earnings of about $64,000, higher than the $40,000 earned by those working in non-STEM occupations."

Women in STEM jobs are earning less than men, as well. The annual salary for a man in one of these jobs is $64,998 on average, compared with $59,931 for women. The pay gap extends also beyond gender, with