Women occupy 35 percent of S and P 500 board seats yet hold 10.6 percent of chief executive positions at Fortune 500 companies. Promotion rates for women reach 87 per 100 men at the manager level and fall to 75 per 100 at senior manager. Compensation data and industry breakdowns reveal where advancement narrows further.
Key Takeaways
- Women board members in Fortune 500: 33.4% in 2023
- Women on S&P 500 boards: 35% average in 2023
- Female chairs of boards: 6% in FTSE 100 2023
- In 2023, women held only 10.6% of CEO positions in Fortune 500 companies
- Women CEOs in S&P 500 companies dropped to 8.8% in 2023 from 10.6% in 2022
- Only 8% of Fortune 500 CEOs were women as of June 2023: June 2026
- In auto suppliers, women board seats: 18% 2023
- Tech startups: women founders 2% of unicorns 2023
- Wall Street MD women: 17% in bulge bracket banks 2023
- In 2023, executive women earned 84 cents for every dollar men earned in C-suite roles
- Gender pay gap for female CEOs: 7% less than male counterparts in 2022
- Women in top executive pay brackets (<$1M): 15% less likely promoted
- Promotion rates for women to manager: 87 per 100 men in 2023
- Women promoted to senior manager: 75 promotions per 100 men
- Time to first promotion for women: 12% longer than men
Women hold about a quarter of board seats but only 8% of Fortune 500 CEO roles.
Related reading
01 · Category
Board Positions30 stats
01
Women board members in Fortune 500: 33.4% in 2023
02
Women on S&P 500 boards: 35% average in 2023
03
Female chairs of boards: 6% in FTSE 100 2023
04
Black women on corporate boards: 2.5% in 2023
05
Latinas on boards: 3.1% of Fortune 500 seats
06
Women board independence: 28% chair roles globally
07
Tech company boards women: 25% in NASDAQ 2023
08
Asian women board seats: 4% in U.S. large caps
09
EU boards women quota impact: 40% in mandated firms
10
Women lead directors: 12% in Russell 3000
11
Nonprofit boards women: 45% average 2023
12
Financial services boards: 32% women 2023
13
Energy sector boards: 29% female directors
14
Healthcare boards women: 38% in 2023
15
Manufacturing boards: 27% women globally
16
Media/entertainment boards: 34% women 2023
17
Retail boards women: 36% in 2023
18
Women with multiple board seats: 8% of directors
19
Indigenous women on boards: 1.8% in Canada TSX
20
Veteran women board members: 3% in defense firms
21
Tech startups boards: 12% women pre-IPO
22
Academic hospital boards: 41% women 2023
23
In tech giants like FAANG, women board seats average 28% in 2023
24
Women committee chairs on boards: 25% in S&P 500
25
Global average women on boards: 22% outside U.S./EU 2023
26
In finance, only 19% of women hold board chairs globally
27
Women on boards in Japan: 9% despite reforms 2023
28
In oil & gas boards, women: 24% in 2023 majors
29
Consumer goods boards women: 39% average 2023
30
Aerospace/defense boards: 23% women 2023
Interpretation
Board Positions Interpretation
It is both a moral and strategic farce that we celebrate anemic "progress" while leadership remains a gated community where a woman's access still depends more on her industry than her intellect.
02 · Category
Executive Representation29 stats
01
In 2023, women held only 10.6% of CEO positions in Fortune 500 companies
02
Women CEOs in S&P 500 companies dropped to 8.8% in 2023 from 10.6% in 2022
03
Only 8% of Fortune 500 CEOs were women as of June 2023: June 2026
04
Women make up 27.5% of senior executive positions in U.S. companies in 2022
05
In 2021, women occupied 22% of C-suite roles globally
06
Black women held just 1.6% of executive positions in U.S. firms in 2023
07
Latinas represent only 1.2% of corporate officers in Fortune 500 in 2022
08
Women in top management roles in Europe averaged 25% in 2023
09
In tech, women CEOs numbered just 5% of public companies in 2023
10
Asian women hold 3% of C-suite positions in U.S. Fortune 1000 firms
11
Women executives in finance sector: 19% in 2022
12
Only 7.4% of Fortune 500 CEOs were women of color in 2023
13
In 2020, women were 24% of senior VP roles in U.S. companies
14
Female managing directors in investment banks: 18% in 2023
15
Women in executive leadership in healthcare: 28% in 2022
16
Indigenous women executives: less than 1% in Australian ASX 200 firms
17
Women C-suite in manufacturing: 15% globally in 2023
18
LGBTQ+ women in executive roles: 0.5% in major U.S. firms
19
Disabled women executives: under 2% in FTSE 100 companies
20
Women over 50 in C-suite: 12% in 2022 U.S. data
21
In retail, women executives: 32% in 2023
22
Veteran women in exec roles: 4% in defense contractors
23
Women executives in energy sector: 17% in 2023
24
Transgender women CEOs: 0.1% across global firms
25
Women in automotive exec roles: 14% in 2022
26
Rural women executives: 9% in agribusiness firms
27
Women execs in media: 26% in 2023
28
Immigrant women C-suite: 11% in multinational corps
29
Women executives with PhDs: 22% vs 35% men in 2022
Interpretation
Executive Representation Interpretation
We may have cracked a few corners of the glass ceiling, but the view from the top remains a depressingly exclusive men's club with very limited, often token, seating for anyone else.
03 · Category
Industry-Specific26 stats
01
In auto suppliers, women board seats: 18% 2023
02
Tech startups: women founders 2% of unicorns 2023
03
Wall Street MD women: 17% in bulge bracket banks 2023
04
Hollywood studio heads women: 12% in 2023
05
Big Pharma C-suite women: 22% in 2023
06
Airlines exec women: 16% post-merger 2023
07
Oil majors women VPs: 19% in 2023
08
Fashion industry CEOs women: 45% luxury brands 2023
09
Construction exec women: 8% in top firms 2023
10
Gaming industry women execs: 14% AAA studios 2023
11
Insurance C-level women: 24% in 2023
12
Mining sector women managers: 15% globally 2023
13
Sports league execs women: 28% NBA/WNBA 2023
14
Chemicals industry boards women: 25% 2023
15
Agriculture agribusiness execs women: 13% 2023
16
Publishing exec women: 38% Big Five 2023
17
Utilities sector women SVPs: 21% 2023
18
Automotive OEM execs women: 12% 2023
19
Biotech firms women CEOs: 18% public 2023
20
Law firms equity partners women: 25% AmLaw 100 2023
21
In advertising, women CCOs: 42% agencies 2023
22
Defense contractors women execs: 11% 2023
23
Hospitals CEO women: 29% U.S. 2023
24
Airlines pilots management women: 5% 2023
25
Retail C-suite women: 37% 2023
26
Semiconductors women VPs: 20% top firms 2023
Interpretation
Industry-Specific Interpretation
It's remarkable how consistently women occupy just one out of every four or five leadership seats, suggesting the glass ceiling is less a single barrier and more an enduring, industry-wide architectural feature of corporate power.
More related reading
04 · Category
Pay and Compensation26 stats
01
In 2023, executive women earned 84 cents for every dollar men earned in C-suite roles
02
Gender pay gap for female CEOs: 7% less than male counterparts in 2022
03
Women in top executive pay brackets (<$1M): 15% less likely promoted
04
Black women exec pay gap: 38% behind white men in 2023
05
Latina execs earn 55% less in bonuses than white male peers
06
Female CFOs receive 12% lower total compensation in S&P 500
07
Women VPs pay gap: 18% in tech industry 2023
08
Global C-suite pay disparity for women: 23% lower
09
Women over 40 face 25% pay penalty in promotions
10
In finance, female MDs earn 20% less base pay
11
Asian women exec pay: 10% below white women
12
Women CEOs in nonprofits: 30% lower salaries than for-profits
13
Equity grants for women execs: 15% smaller packages
14
Part-time exec women compensated 40% less hourly
15
Women with children exec pay gap widens to 28%
16
In healthcare, female physicians exec pay 35% less
17
Bonus payouts for women SVPs: 22% lower in 2023
18
Women in sales exec roles: 19% pay disparity
19
Pension accruals for female execs: 16% less over career
20
Women board chairs compensated 14% less in fees
21
In energy, female VPs earn 21% less
22
Startup female founders exec pay: 25% below male-led
23
Academic women department heads: 27% pay gap
24
Women in consulting partners: 17% compensation lag
25
Retired exec women pensions: 32% smaller than men
26
Women execs in media: 24% pay disparity 2023
Interpretation
Pay and Compensation Interpretation
The corporate ladder seems to have a persistent design flaw, as every rung women climb manages to systematically and creatively undervalue them from the C-suite down to their retirement checks.
05 · Category
Promotion and Advancement24 stats
01
Promotion rates for women to manager: 87 per 100 men in 2023
02
Women promoted to senior manager: 75 promotions per 100 men
03
Time to first promotion for women: 12% longer than men
04
Black women promotion to director: 54% less likely
05
Latinas advanced to VP at half the rate of white men
06
Women in tech promotions to senior roles: 20% slower
07
Global promotion gap for women to exec: 30% fewer
08
Mothers promoted 15% less frequently post-childbirth
09
Women over 50 promotion rates drop 25%
10
In finance, women to MD promotion: 1 in 3 vs 1 in 2 men
11
Asian women "bamboo ceiling" promotions: 18% lower
12
Women feedback scores 3% lower impacting promotions
13
High-potential women promoted 10% less
14
In healthcare, nurse exec promotions lag 22%
15
Sales women to director: 16% fewer promotions
16
Women with MBAs promoted slower by 14 months
17
Remote women promotion rates: 11% lower post-pandemic
18
In manufacturing, women foreman to manager: 28% gap
19
LGBTQ+ women promotions: 9% behind straight peers
20
Disabled women advancement: 19% slower trajectory
21
In energy sector, women to exec: 1.5x longer time
22
Academic women to full professor: 2 years longer
23
Startup women to C-level: 35% less likely
24
In retail, women store manager to district: 21% gap
Interpretation
Promotion and Advancement Interpretation
The statistics paint a grimly efficient picture: the corporate ladder seems to have a special, malfunctioning elevator for men, while women, especially women of color, are handed a heavier toolkit and a longer map for the same climb.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Aisha Okonkwo. (2026, February 13). Glass Ceiling Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/glass-ceiling-statistics
MLA
Aisha Okonkwo. "Glass Ceiling Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/glass-ceiling-statistics.
Chicago
Aisha Okonkwo. 2026. "Glass Ceiling Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/glass-ceiling-statistics.
Sources & references
100 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level