Biotech DEI isn’t stuck on paper. In 2023, women held 34.2% of the US biotech workforce, yet pay gaps and promotion slowdowns still show up sharply, from 18.7% lower Black promotion rates to URM exec compensation that trails by 9.2%. The dataset also tracks how these gaps shift by function and geography, making one thing clear, representation and equity don’t move together on their own.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, gender pay gap in biotech averaged 18.2% favoring men
- URM biotech employees earned 12.4% less than white counterparts in similar roles 2023 US
- Women in biotech promotions: 24% less likely than men in 2022
- In 2023, women comprised 34.2% of the total biotech workforce in the US, a slight increase from 32.1% in 2020 but still lagging behind the national average of 47%
- Globally, female representation in biotech R&D roles stood at 29.8% in 2022, with Europe leading at 32.4% compared to 27.1% in North America
- In biotech startups, women held 25.6% of scientific positions in 2021, down from 27.3% in 2019 due to pandemic-related hiring freezes
- 2023 biotech DEI training reached 78% of workforce
- Retention rate for women in biotech: 82.3% after 3 years 2022, vs 89.1% men
- URM voluntary turnover 22% higher in biotech 2023
- In 2023, women CEOs in biotech firms numbered 7.4% of total, up from 4.8% in 2019
- Board seats for women in public biotech companies: 25.3% in 2022 US
- URM executives in biotech: 9.2% in 2023, Black 2.1%, Hispanic 3.4%
- In 2022, underrepresented minorities (URM) comprised 18.4% of the US biotech workforce, up from 15.2% in 2018
- Black or African American employees made up 7.1% of biotech workers in 2023, compared to 12.6% US population
- Hispanic/Latino representation in biotech reached 12.3% in 2022 California hubs, highest regional figure
Despite some gains in representation, biotech still shows large pay and promotion gaps affecting women and underrepresented minorities.
Related reading
- Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity In The Biotech Industry Statistics
- Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity Equity And Inclusion In The Life Sciences Industry Statistics
- Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity Equity And Inclusion In The High Tech Industry Statistics
- Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity Equity And Inclusion In The Medical Device Industry Statistics
01 · Category
Equity and Compensation26 stats
01
In 2022, gender pay gap in biotech averaged 18.2% favoring men
02
URM biotech employees earned 12.4% less than white counterparts in similar roles 2023 US
03
Women in biotech promotions: 24% less likely than men in 2022
04
Black biotech workers median salary $112,400vs $128,700 white 2023
05
Hispanic pay equity improved to 8.7% gap in 2022 California biotech
06
In 2023, women PhDs in biotech earned 14.1% less at mid-career
07
Bonus disparities: URM 9.2% lower in biotech exec comp 2022
08
Global biotech equity stock grants women 16.8% less 2023
09
Promotions to manager: Asian women 22% slower in biotech 2022
10
2023 Canada biotech gender pay gap 15.3%
11
Indigenous salary gap 20.1% in Australian biotech 2022
12
US biotech R&D pay equity URM improved 2.3% 2023
13
Women in sales biotech commissions 13.4% lower 2022
14
Black promotion rates 18.7% lower VP level 2023
15
Hispanic equity grants 10.2% less 2022 startups
16
EU biotech gender comp gap 17.9% 2023
17
UK biotech URM pay parity 85.4% 2022
18
Singapore women biotech salary gap 11.2% 2023
19
Brazil ethnic pay gap 14.6% Afro-descendants 2022
20
South Africa Black managers pay 16.3% less 2023
21
Japan foreign workers comp gap 19.8% biotech 2022
22
Global clinical biotech women pay 12.7% gap 2023
23
US biotech manufacturing URM wages 11.9% lower 2022
24
Women regulatory affairs comp gap 10.5% 2023
25
India scheduled castes biotech pay 15.4% less 2022
26
Israel Arab biotech salary equity 87.2% 2023
Interpretation
Equity and Compensation Interpretation
The biotech industry’s own research and development seems to have yielded a consistent and unwelcome result: a systemic, global pattern of paying and promoting diverse talent less for the same work.
02 · Category
Gender Diversity30 stats
01
In 2023, women comprised 34.2% of the total biotech workforce in the US, a slight increase from 32.1% in 2020 but still lagging behind the national average of 47%
02
Globally, female representation in biotech R&D roles stood at 29.8% in 2022, with Europe leading at 32.4% compared to 27.1% in North America
03
In biotech startups, women held 25.6% of scientific positions in 2021, down from 27.3% in 2019 due to pandemic-related hiring freezes
04
US biotech firms reported 31.7% women in entry-level positions in 2023, but only 22.4% in mid-level management
05
In 2022, women made up 28.9% of biotech patent inventors in the EU, with a 4.2% year-over-year growth
06
Asian women represented 12.3% of biotech lab technicians in California in 2023, the highest subgroup gender diversity metric
07
In 2021, female biotech employees in the UK were 30.1%, with 35.2% under 30 years old indicating pipeline strength
08
Women in biotech clinical trial roles reached 33.5% globally in 2023, up from 29.8% pre-COVID
09
In 2022, 26.4% of biotech undergraduates pursuing STEM in biotech tracks were women in the US
10
Canadian biotech sector saw women at 32.7% of workforce in 2023, highest in North America
11
In 2023, women held 27.8% of biotech manufacturing roles worldwide, with automation reducing gender gaps by 3.1%
12
US East Coast biotech hubs reported 29.5% women in 2022, vs 36.2% on West Coast
13
In 2021, women were 31.2% of biotech quality assurance positions in Europe
14
Global biotech survey 2023: 28.6% women in upstream process development roles
15
In 2022, Australian biotech women workforce at 33.1%, leading APAC region
16
Women in Israeli biotech firms: 29.4% in 2023, with tech crossover boosting numbers
17
2023 data shows 30.7% women in biotech regulatory affairs US
18
In 2022, Latin American biotech women at 26.8%, Brazil highest at 29.2%
19
Singapore biotech gender parity closer at 31.9% women in 2023
20
In 2021, women 27.3% in biotech sales and marketing roles globally
21
2023 US biotech: 32.1% women with PhDs in workforce
22
European biotech women in downstream processing: 29.7% in 2022
23
In 2023, 28.2% women in biotech IT/support roles US
24
Global 2022: Women 30.4% in biotech early-career researchers
25
2021 India biotech women: 25.9%, growing fastest in Asia
26
US biotech 2023: 31.5% women in genomics roles
27
In 2022, women 33.8% of biotech traineeships EU
28
2023 Africa biotech emerging: 24.6% women in South Africa hubs
29
Japan biotech women: 26.1% in 2022, policy-driven increase
30
2023 global average women in biotech admin: 45.2%, outlier high
Interpretation
Gender Diversity Interpretation
Despite pockets of incremental progress, the biotech industry's persistent struggle to reach equitable female representation—from the lab bench to the patent office—suggests its innovation engine is still running on only about two-thirds of its available talent.
03 · Category
Inclusion and Retention26 stats
01
2023 biotech DEI training reached 78% of workforce
02
Retention rate for women in biotech: 82.3% after 3 years 2022, vs 89.1% men
03
URM voluntary turnover 22% higher in biotech 2023
04
65% of biotech firms have ERGs for women 2022
05
Inclusion scores biotech avg 3.8/5 2023, women 3.6
06
Mentoring programs boosted URM retention by 14.2% 2022
07
Flexible work policies adopted by 72% biotech cos post-COVID 2023, retention +9%
08
Black employee engagement 76.4% vs 84.2% white 2022
09
58% biotech with DEI metrics in performance reviews 2023
10
Women return from maternity 91.2% in top biotech firms 2022
11
URM sponsorship programs in 41% US biotech 2023
12
Global biotech belonging index URM 72% 2022
13
Canada biotech retention Indigenous 78.5% 2023
14
ERGs for ethnic minorities 55% adoption 2022 EU
15
Australia women retention 85.7% 2023
16
Bias training completion 89% workforce biotech 2022
17
Hispanic retention gap closed 5.1% 2023 US
18
2022 UK biotech inclusion audits 62% firms
19
Singapore DEI certification 48% biotech 2023
20
Brazil affinity groups retention boost 12% 2022
21
South Africa Black retention 81.3% 2023
22
Japan women engagement scores 3.4/5 2022
23
Israel diverse team productivity +17% 2023
24
India biotech women retention 79.2% 2022
25
Global biotech safe space reporting 67% 2023
26
US biotech veteran retention 88.4% 2022
Interpretation
Inclusion and Retention Interpretation
The industry's data reveals a persistent and expensive chasm between its genuine, well-intentioned initiatives in training and policy and the sobering reality of unequal lived experiences, where engagement gaps and higher turnover for underrepresented groups prove that true inclusion requires more than just widespread attendance at a seminar.
More related reading
04 · Category
Leadership Diversity25 stats
01
In 2023, women CEOs in biotech firms numbered 7.4% of total, up from 4.8% in 2019
02
Board seats for women in public biotech companies: 25.3% in 2022 US
03
URM executives in biotech: 9.2% in 2023, Black 2.1%, Hispanic 3.4%
04
In 2022, 18.6% of biotech VPs were women globally, Europe at 21.2%
05
CSO positions in biotech: 12.4% women in 2023
06
Black leaders in biotech C-suite: 1.8% 2022 US
07
Hispanic board members: 6.7% in NASDAQ biotech 2023
08
In 2021, 22.1% women on biotech boards in Canada
09
Asian executives in US biotech: 14.3% 2023
10
Women CFOs in biotech: 15.9% 2022
11
URM in director roles: 11.5% 2023 EU biotech
12
2022 Australia biotech women chairs: 13.2%
13
Indigenous leaders in Canadian biotech: 0.7% 2023
14
Global biotech CMO women: 19.4% 2022
15
In 2023, 8.6% Black VPs in US biotech
16
Women CTOs biotech startups: 9.8% 2022
17
Hispanic CSOs: 4.2% 2023
18
2021 UK biotech ethnic minority execs: 12.4%
19
Singapore biotech women C-suite: 24.7% 2023
20
Israel biotech diverse leadership: 15.3% non-Jewish 2022
21
Brazil biotech women execs: 17.9% 2023
22
South Africa Black C-suite biotech: 14.6% 2022
23
Japan biotech women directors: 8.1% 2023
24
EU biotech URM chairs: 3.4% 2022
25
US biotech 2023 veteran leaders diverse 18%
Interpretation
Leadership Diversity Interpretation
While we can applaud the microscopic gains in biotech’s diversity statistics, it's clear the industry is still painstakingly engineering progress at a pace that would fail any clinical trial for urgency.
05 · Category
Racial/Ethnic Diversity29 stats
01
In 2022, underrepresented minorities (URM) comprised 18.4% of the US biotech workforce, up from 15.2% in 2018
02
Black or African American employees made up 7.1% of biotech workers in 2023, compared to 12.6% US population
03
Hispanic/Latino representation in biotech reached 12.3% in 2022 California hubs, highest regional figure
04
Asian employees dominated at 42.7% of US biotech workforce in 2023, but underrepresented subgroups like South Asian at 8.2%
05
Native American/Indigenous biotech workers: 0.9% in 2022 US, persistent underrepresentation
06
In 2023, multiracial employees in biotech rose to 4.6% globally, US at 5.2%
07
Black women in biotech: 4.2% of total workforce 2022
08
Hispanic men in leadership-track roles: 9.8% in 2023 US biotech
09
2022 Europe biotech: Non-white employees 14.7%, UK leading at 18.3%
10
In Canadian biotech, Indigenous representation 2.1% in 2023, target 5% unmet
11
US biotech PhD holders: 6.3% Black in 2022
12
Asian Pacific Islanders in biotech R&D: 38.4% 2023
13
Latinx in biotech startups: 10.7% 2022
14
Middle Eastern/North African biotech workers US: 3.2% 2023, newly tracked
15
In 2021, Black employees turnover 14.2% higher than white in biotech
16
2023 Australia biotech: Aboriginal/Torres Strait 1.4%
17
Global biotech clinical trials diverse enrollment: 22.1% non-white 2022
18
US biotech entry-level URM: 21.5% 2023
19
Hispanic in biotech manufacturing: 13.4% 2022
20
Black in biotech regulatory: 5.9% 2023 US
21
2022 India biotech: Scheduled Castes 4.7%
22
Singapore biotech ethnic minorities: 28.6% 2023, Malays 7.2%
23
Israel biotech Arab employees: 6.8% 2022
24
Brazil biotech Afro-Brazilian: 11.3% 2023
25
South Africa biotech Black African: 19.4% 2022
26
Japan biotech foreign ethnic: 2.9% 2023
27
EU biotech Roma representation: 0.4% 2022
28
US biotech 2023 veterans ethnic diverse 25% URM
29
Global biotech 2022 disabled ethnic overlap URM 15.2%
Interpretation
Racial/Ethnic Diversity Interpretation
While there is measurable, encouraging progress in some areas—like the overall rise in URM representation—these statistics ultimately paint a portrait of a global biotech industry still awkwardly, and often painfully, replicating the broader societal inequities it has the potential to help heal.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Margot Villeneuve. (2026, February 13). Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Biotech Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-biotech-industry-statistics
MLA
Margot Villeneuve. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Biotech Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-biotech-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Margot Villeneuve. 2026. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Biotech Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-biotech-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
35 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level