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Canada Tertiary Education

According to data from Engineers Canada, women make up a smaller proportion of students enrolling in and earning degrees in Engineering tertiary programs when compared to men in Canada. Tertiary education encompasses the academic programs pursued after secondary education and includes undergraduate (Bachelor’s) and graduate (Master’s and Doctoral) study.

Canada Workplace

Women are historically underrepresented in faculty positions. As of 2022, women represent less than 30% of faculty positions in academia. According to Elsevier, in 2022, the share of women engineering researchers in Canada was 48.5%. Although women engineering scholars represent almost half of researchers in Canada, their research impact is less than that of their male counterparts.

Tags: Canada

Spain Workplace

According to data from 2024 by the “El Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal”, the Spanish State Employment Public Service, women constitute a substantial portion of the country’s labor force population. In 2024, approximately 11.5 million women participated in the labor force. Among them, over 10.1 million were employed, while nearly 1.4 million were unemployed and actively looking for work. In 2022, the share of women science and engineering researchers in Spain was 46.5% (Elsevier). Although women engineering scholars represent almost half of researchers in Spain, their research impact is less than that of their male counterparts.

Tags: workforce, Spain

U.S. Primary and Secondary Academic Preparation

High school is a critical stage in a student’s journey as they develop their college and career aspirations. Academic preparation in high school can help students develop the necessary skills to succeed in an engineering degree. OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment's (PISA) can serve as measurement for understanding high school preparation. The PISA is a series of reports comparing 15-year-olds academic performance across subjects and countries. The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) can also serve as a measurement for academic preparation. TIMSS provides data on 4th and 8th graders in 64 countries. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), results can serve as measurement for understanding high school preparation. The NAEP is a U.S. measurement representing elementary and secondary students’ academic achievement in various subjects.

Tags: General K-12

Gender Scan: STEM Global Survey

Launched in 2008, Gender Scan is a biennial survey that looks at issues affecting gender balance in STEM, from education to career.

Tags: India, SWE Research: Global

Retention in the Engineering Workforce

Over the years, there has been an increase in the share of women working in engineering fields in the United States. Retaining talented women in engineering is an urgent matter to ensure a diverse workforce. According to the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES), women continue to be underrepresented across the engineering workforce.

Tags: Women Engineers in the Workplace

Global Tertiary Education

Tertiary education encompasses a variety of academic programs pursued after secondary education, ranging from undergraduate to graduate study. It includes not just academic learning but also advanced vocational and professional education to cultivate specialized knowledge and skills. According to the World Bank, tertiary education is critical to supporting societal development, economic progress, and reducing poverty, playing a vital role in cultivating a highly skilled workforce. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation Development (OECD), women are historically underrepresented in enrollment and graduations in Engineering, Manufacturing, and Construction (EMC) and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) fields across tertiary programs.

Tags: International

National Academy of Engineering

The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) was established in 1964 to promote the engineering profession and marshal the expertise and insight of eminent engineers to provide independent advice to the federal government. It is a prestigious honor to be elected to this Academy. As of 2025, the NAE had 435 women members out of over 2,700 members since 1965. Computer Science & Engineering is the discipline with the most female members, followed by Bioengineering and Chemical Engineering.

Tags: Leadership

U.S. Fortune 500 Women CEO’s

Though the Fortune 500 companies include numerous corporations outside of engineering, it is important to be aware of the lack of diversity among the highest levels of leadership across all industries, especially women leaders. Diverse leaders are needed to serve as role models, mentors, and supporters of future leaders. The consistent scarcity of female representation among corporate leadership is a concerning trend.

Tags: Leadership

U.S. College Readiness

College readiness in high school can help students develop the necessary skills to succeed in an engineering degree. The ACT college readiness standards evaluate high school students’ mathematics and science proficiency. Girls in the U.S. tend to score lower than boys across STEM subjects. The readiness benchmarks are the minimum ACT scores that can determine if students have a chance to succeed in a specific set of first-year college courses (Allen & Radunzel, 2017). According to the ACT, a lower share of girls are reaching the college ready benchmark score when compared to boys taking the same high school courses. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), more girls than boys are taking advanced science and math Carnegie credits. One Carnegie credit is defined as 120 hours of class instruction over the course of a secondary school year. However, a lower percentage of girls are enrolling in STEM Carnegie credits when compared to boys.

U.S. Job Outlook

The job outlook for engineers continues to show a high demand for talent. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), occupational predictions and worker characteristics in the engineering and computer occupations sector are expected to grow significantly over the next 10 years. To meet the demand for new engineers, engineering technologists, and computer scientists, our nation must promote these professions among underrepresented groups, including women and individuals from other minority racial and ethnic backgrounds. The tables below provide additional information regarding the job outlook of several engineering, engineering technologists and computer occupations. They illustrate growth projections and median annual wages in these occupations. These insights can equip women with the knowledge to navigate the future job market.

Tags: Women Engineers in the Workplace

U.S. Earnings Gap

In all engineering and computer occupations, women’s median earnings are less than men’s in the same occupation. The tables below provide additional information regarding the gender earnings gap of several engineering, engineering technologists, and computer occupations. These insights can equip women with the knowledge to navigate the future job market.

Tags: Women of Color, Women Engineers in the Workplace