Girls’ participation in STEM varies by country, education level, and field, with underrepresentation often strongest in engineering, IT, and software. Course access and early preparation matter, but so do social pressures—stereotypes, fewer female role models, and research on implicit bias. This page brings together evidence and interventions across the U.S., UK, Australia, and globally.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, U.S. women earned 22% of bachelor's degrees in computer science, down from 37% in 1984, per NSF data
- Globally, women received 33% of STEM bachelor's degrees in 2021, but only 25% in engineering fields, UNESCO UIS
- UK 2023 HESA stats: Females awarded 39% of undergraduate STEM degrees, rising slightly from 35% in 2018
- Worldwide, 2022 PISA results show girls score 5% lower in math self-efficacy, contributing to STEM avoidance
- U.S. 2021 AAUW study: 52% of girls report stereotypes as major barrier to STEM interest versus 28% boys
- UK 2023 WISE report: 40% of girls cite lack of female role models as key deterrent to STEM careers
- Girls Who Code program boosted participant STEM confidence by 45% in 2022 cohort of 50,000 girls
- NCWIT Aspirations in Computing reached 36,000 girls in 2023, with 82% pursuing CS postsecondary
- UNESCO's STEM and Gender Advancement project in 20 countries increased female enrollment by 15% since 2018
- In 2022, only 35% of girls in U.S. high schools enrolled in advanced STEM courses like AP Calculus or Physics compared to 52% of boys, highlighting a significant gender gap in rigorous STEM preparation
- Globally, in 2021, just 28% of girls aged 15-24 expressed strong interest in pursuing STEM fields versus 45% of boys, per UNESCO data on youth aspirations
- In the UK, 2023 data shows 24% of girls took A-level Mathematics compared to 41% of boys, limiting pathways to STEM university programs
- U.S. 2023 BLS data shows women hold 28% of STEM jobs overall, but only 15% in software development roles
- Globally, ILO 2022 estimates women occupy 35% of tech sector positions, concentrated in lower-paid roles
- UK 2023 ONS: Females represent 26% of engineering workforce, up from 9% in 1990
Women remain underrepresented in STEM, with large gaps from education through tech jobs worldwide.
Related reading
01 · Category
Academic Achievement And Degrees10 stats
01
In 2022, U.S. women earned 22% of bachelor's degrees in computer science, down from 37% in 1984, per NSF data
02
Globally, women received 33% of STEM bachelor's degrees in 2021, but only 25% in engineering fields, UNESCO UIS
03
UK 2023 HESA stats: Females awarded 39% of undergraduate STEM degrees, rising slightly from 35% in 2018
04
In Australia, 2022 women earned 41% of science degrees but just 18% in IT, per government data
05
India 2021 AISHE report: Women comprised 48% of total graduates but 43% in science/engineering combined
06
EU 2022: Females earned 37% of tertiary ICT degrees across Europe, per Eurostat
07
Canada 2022: Women received 40% of STEM doctorates, highest in biological sciences at 55%, StatsCan
08
South Africa 2023: Females awarded 42% of engineering bachelor's, up 5% from 2018, per HEMIS
09
Mexico 2022: Women earned 38% of STEM master's degrees, per CONACYT stats
10
Germany 2021: 29% of PhDs in natural sciences went to women, DAAD report
Interpretation
Academic Achievement And Degrees Interpretation
Across countries, women’s share of STEM degrees is consistently lower in computing and engineering than in science overall, such as in the US where women fell from 37% of computer science bachelor’s degrees in 1984 to 22% in 2022, and in Australia where they earned 41% of science degrees but only 18% in IT in 2022.
02 · Category
Barriers And Gender Gaps10 stats
01
Worldwide, 2022 PISA results show girls score 5% lower in math self-efficacy, contributing to STEM avoidance
02
U.S. 2021 AAUW study: 52% of girls report stereotypes as major barrier to STEM interest versus 28% boys
03
UK 2023 WISE report: 40% of girls cite lack of female role models as key deterrent to STEM careers
04
Implicit bias tests show 70% of STEM professors favor male applicants over equally qualified females, 2015 PNAS study updated 2022
05
In low-income U.S. households, girls are 30% less likely to have STEM toys or exposure, NCWIT 2022
06
Global 2021 survey: 45% of women in STEM report workplace harassment vs 18% men, UNESCO
07
Attrition rate for women in tech: 50% leave by age 35, compared to 17% men, McKinsey 2023
08
Math anxiety affects 60% of girls vs 30% boys by grade 8, APA 2022 meta-analysis
09
Family expectations: 38% of girls discouraged from STEM by parents vs 12% boys, global Gallup 2021
10
Funding gap: Female-led STEM startups receive 2.3% of VC funding in 2022, Crunchbase
Interpretation
Barriers And Gender Gaps Interpretation
Across countries, girls face compounding barriers that meaningfully narrow the STEM pipeline, from 52% reporting stereotypes as a major obstacle in the US to 70% of qualified female applicants being disadvantaged by implicit bias in STEM faculty decisions, and this gap is reinforced by lower math self-efficacy where girls score 5% lower in PISA 2022.
03 · Category
Initiatives And Progress Trends9 stats
01
Girls Who Code program boosted participant STEM confidence by 45% in 2022 cohort of 50,000 girls
02
NCWIT Aspirations in Computing reached 36,000 girls in 2023, with 82% pursuing CS postsecondary
03
UNESCO's STEM and Gender Advancement project in 20 countries increased female enrollment by 15% since 2018
04
AAUW Tech Trek camps for 7th-grade girls saw 92% express higher STEM interest post-program in 2022
05
UK's Stemettes engaged 50,000 girls since 2013, resulting in 25% higher STEM subject choices, 2023 eval
06
Black Girls Code trained 20,000 girls by 2023, with 70% entering tech fields
07
EU's Women in Digital initiative lifted female ICT enrollment by 12% in participating nations 2020-2023
08
India's Mission Shakti STEM scholarships for 100,000 girls led to 18% rise in female engineering admits 2022
09
Million Women Mentors matched 2 million girls with mentors by 2023, boosting persistence by 30%
Interpretation
Initiatives And Progress Trends Interpretation
Across major Girls in STEM initiatives, participation and outcomes are moving in measurable leaps, including STEM confidence up 45% for 50,000 girls in the 2022 Girls Who Code cohort and female enrollment rising 15% in 20 countries since 2018, showing that sustained programs are driving real progress for the category Initiatives And Progress Trends.
More related reading
04 · Category
Participation In Stem Education18 stats
01
In 2022, only 35% of girls in U.S. high schools enrolled in advanced STEM courses like AP Calculus or Physics compared to 52% of boys, highlighting a significant gender gap in rigorous STEM preparation
02
Globally, in 2021, just 28% of girls aged 15-24 expressed strong interest in pursuing STEM fields versus 45% of boys, per UNESCO data on youth aspirations
03
In the UK, 2023 data shows 24% of girls took A-level Mathematics compared to 41% of boys, limiting pathways to STEM university programs
04
Australian 2022 statistics indicate 31% female participation in Year 12 STEM subjects versus 48% male, affecting higher education entry rates
05
In India, 2021 NSSO survey found 29% of girls in secondary school opting for science streams compared to 47% boys
06
EU 2022 Eurostat reports 33% of girls in upper secondary education chose STEM tracks versus 50% boys across 27 member states
07
Canadian 2021 data reveals 27% of female high school students enrolled in computer science electives versus 55% males
08
South Korea 2023 ministry stats show 32% girls in STEM-focused high schools compared to 58% boys
09
Brazil 2022 INEP data: 26% female enrollment in technical STEM high school programs vs 44% male
10
Japan 2021 MEXT report: 30% of girls participated in science clubs versus 49% boys in middle school
11
In 2022, only 35% of girls in U.S. high schools enrolled in advanced STEM courses like AP Calculus or Physics compared to 52% of boys, highlighting a significant gender gap in rigorous STEM preparation
12
Globally, in 2021, just 28% of girls aged 15-24 expressed strong interest in pursuing STEM fields versus 45% of boys, per UNESCO data on youth aspirations
13
In the UK, 2023 data shows 24% of girls took A-level Mathematics compared to 41% of boys, limiting pathways to STEM university programs
14
Australian 2022 statistics indicate 31% female participation in Year 12 STEM subjects versus 48% male, affecting higher education entry rates
15
In India, 2021 NSSO survey found 29% of girls in secondary school opting for science streams compared to 47% boys
16
EU 2022 Eurostat reports 33% of girls in upper secondary education chose STEM tracks versus 50% boys across 27 member states
17
Canadian 2021 data reveals 27% of female high school students enrolled in computer science electives versus 55% males
18
South Korea 2023 ministry stats show 32% girls in STEM-focused high schools compared to 58% boys
Interpretation
Participation In Stem Education Interpretation
Across multiple countries under the Participation in STEM Education category, girls consistently take up STEM pathways at much lower rates than boys, such as 35% versus 52% in US advanced STEM courses in 2022 and 24% versus 41% in UK A level Mathematics in 2023.
05 · Category
Workforce And Employment Statistics10 stats
01
U.S. 2023 BLS data shows women hold 28% of STEM jobs overall, but only 15% in software development roles
02
Globally, ILO 2022 estimates women occupy 35% of tech sector positions, concentrated in lower-paid roles
03
UK 2023 ONS: Females represent 26% of engineering workforce, up from 9% in 1990
04
Australia 2022: Women in ICT workforce at 29%, mostly in support rather than programming
05
India NASSCOM 2023: Women comprise 34% of IT workforce, but only 6% in leadership
06
EU 2022 Eurostat: 17% of ICT specialists are women, varying from 12% in Greece to 25% in Poland
07
Canada 2023: Females hold 24% of computer occupations, per NOC stats
08
Brazil 2022: Women in engineering jobs at 21%, IBGE labor survey
09
Japan 2021: Only 16% of STEM professionals are women, ministry data
10
South Korea 2023: Women represent 20% of R&D workforce in tech firms
Interpretation
Workforce And Employment Statistics Interpretation
Across workforce and employment in STEM, women still make up just 15% of software development roles in the US, showing that even where representation reaches around 17% to 35% in broader tech and ICT work, it drops sharply in higher paying, technical specialties.
report visual · Comparison
Girls and Women in STEM: Participation, barriers, and retention
Across education and the workforce, women and girls participate at lower rates than boys and men—especially in fields like computing/engineering—while barriers like stereotypes and anxiety remain widespread.
U.S. 2021 AAUW study: 52% of girls report stereotypes as major barrier to STEM interest versus 28% boys52%
Attrition rate for women in tech: 50% leave by age 35, compared to 17% men, McKinsey 2023
50%
In 2022, only 35% of girls in U.S. high schools enrolled in advanced STEM courses like AP Calculus or Physics compared t
35%
In 2022, U.S. women earned 22% of bachelor's degrees in computer science, down from 37% in 1984, per NSF data
22%
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Min-ji Park. (2026, February 13). Girls In Stem Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/girls-in-stem-statistics
MLA
Min-ji Park. "Girls In Stem Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/girls-in-stem-statistics.
Chicago
Min-ji Park. 2026. "Girls In Stem Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/girls-in-stem-statistics.
Sources & references
42 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level