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.
Historically, there are much fewer women CEOs than men in Fortune 500 companies. In 1972, Katharine Graham, of The Washington Post Co., became the first women CEO in the Fortune 500 rankings. In the last 10 years, the number of women CEOs more than doubled and has grown from only a couple dozen in 2015. As of 2025, there were 55 women CEOs representing roughly 11% of the total leaders of Fortune 500 companies in the United States.
*Females as a percent of total shown in figure
Resources
- Fortune. (2025). Fortune 500 Ranking.
- Pew Research Center. (2023). The Data on Women Leaders.
Additional Resources
- American Society for Engineering Education. ASEE Deans Council.
- National Academy of Engineering. (2025). NAE Membership Directory.