According to the World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap 2024 Report, 23.2% of Australian graduates in engineering, manufacturing, and construction were women. The Australian Council of Engineering Deans (ACED) created the Australian Engineering Higher Education Statistics Engineers report in 2022. The report revealed that women represent less than one-fifth of total enrollments and less than one-quarter of total graduates across engineering fields. According to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), women make up a smaller proportion of students enrolled in, entering and graduating from engineering, manufacturing, and construction (EMC) programs when compared to men.
2001-2022
ACED
Enrollments
According to ACED, the share of women enrolled in engineering and related technologies undergraduate programs increased between 2010-2020. As of 2020, domestic female students (18.1%) and international female students (18.9%) were underrepresented in Australia’s bachelor’s programs.
*Females as a percent of total within each category is shown in figure
According to ACED, the share of women enrolled in engineering and related technologies master’s programs decreased between 2010-2020. As of 2020, domestic female students (20.0%) and international female students (23.2%) were underrepresented in Australia’s master’s programs. The number of international female students more than tripled between 2010 (6,122) to 2020 (19,504)
*Females as a percent of total within each category is shown in figure
According to ACED, the share of women enrolled in engineering and related technologies doctoral programs increased between 2010-2020. As of 2020, domestic female students represented 27.9% of domestic enrollments and international female students represented 28.5% of international enrollments.
*Females as a percent of total within each category is shown in figure
Graduates
According to ACED, the share of women graduating in engineering and related technologies undergraduate programs increased between 2010-2020. As of 2020, domestic female students (17.1%) and international female students (21.9%) were underrepresented in Australia’s bachelor’s programs.
*Females as a percent of total within each category is shown in figure
According to ACED, the share of women graduating in engineering and related technologies master’s programs remained stable from 2010 to 2020. As of 2020, domestic female students (25.3%) and international female students (21.0%) were underrepresented in Australia’s master’s programs. The number of international female students more than doubled between 2010 (2,757) to 2020 (7,249), while domestic female students experienced a slight increase from 2010 (1,123) to 2020 (1,225).
*Females as a percent of total within each category is shown in figure
According to ACED, the share of women graduating in engineering and related technologies doctoral programs increased between 2010-2020. As of 2020, domestic female students represented 24.8% of domestic enrollments and international female students represented 26.8% of international enrollments.
*Females as a percent of total within each category is shown in figure
Among indigenous students in Australia, the number and share of women in degrees conferred in Engineering and Related Technologies increased from 2016 (5, 10.0%) to 2020 (11, 16.2%).
Commencements
Among indigenous students in Australia, the number and share of women commencements in engineering and related technologies increased from 2016 (19, 14.2%) to 2020 (45, 19.3%).
OECD
Enrollments & Graduates
According to the OECD, the number of female enrollments, entrants, and graduates in engineering, manufacturing, and construction (EMC) programs in Australia has increased between 2018 and 2022. For instance, the number of women enrolled in a bachelor’s degree in EMC increased by 2.6 percent between 2018 (23.0%) and 2022 (25.6%). In 2022 (33.2%), a higher share of women enrolled in master’s programs than in 2018 (28.2%). A higher share of women enrolled in doctoral programs in 2022 (31.9%) compared to 2018 (29.7%).
The number of women enrolling in EMC undergraduate programs has experienced a steady increase between 2018 (19,550) and 2022 (21,513). The number of women entrants in EMC bachelor’s programs has experienced an increase between 2018 (6,199) and 2022 (6,919). The number of women graduating has also increased between 2018 (3,921) and 2022 (4,670). In 2022, 26% of enrollments, 28% of entrants, and 26% of graduates in EMC bachelor’s programs were women.
*Females as a percent of total shown in figure
The number of women enrolling in EMC master’s programs has increased between 2018 (6,046) and 2022 (8,091). However, the number of female entrants decreased between 2018 (2,304) and 2022 (2,241); as well as number of female graduates. In 2022, 33% of enrollments, 33% of entrants, and 34% of graduates in EMC master’s programs were women.
*Females as a percent of total shown in figure
Between 2018 (2,775) and 2022 (2,948), the number of women enrolling in EMC doctoral programs increased. The number of women graduating and female entrants in EMC doctoral programs have experienced slight fluctuations between 2018 and 2022. In 2022, 32% of enrollments, 33% of entrants, and 31% of graduates in EMC doctoral programs were women.
*Females as a percent of total shown in figure
2020
ACED
Graduates
The fields of mechanical, manufacturing, & auto had the lowest representations of women (9.0%) among bachelor’s degree holders in 2020. While the field of process and resource engineering had women representing 24.0% of its bachelor’s degree holders in 2020, this still shows severe underrepresentation of women in its field.
Resources
- OECD Data Explorer. (2024). Graduates by field.
- The Australian Council of Engineering Deans. (2022). Australian Engineering Higher Education Statistics 2010-2020.
- The World Economic Forum. (2024). Global Gender Gap Report.