While women are earning more engineering degrees than ever before, with global graduation rates reaching 35% and some countries like China nearing parity at 48%, this growing pipeline starkly contrasts with a workforce where women hold just 28% of engineering jobs worldwide and face significant gaps in pay, promotion, and retention.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, women represented 26% of all engineering undergraduates enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities, a slight increase from 24% in 2018
- Women earned 25.6% of bachelor's degrees awarded in engineering fields across the United States in the 2021-2022 academic year, totaling approximately 14,200 degrees
- In the UK, female students comprised 21.5% of first-year engineering undergraduates in 2021/22, compared to 19.8% five years prior
- In 2022, the U.S. engineering workforce included 16.1% women, holding about 180,000 of 1.1 million jobs
- Women engineers in the U.S. full-time workforce: 15.8% in 2021, with median age 42 vs. 41 for men
- In the UK, women comprised 12.4% of the engineering workforce in 2022, totaling around 50,000 professionals
- In 2022, women engineering managers U.S.: 12.5% of total, earning median $145,000
- Fortune 500 engineering firms: 8.7% women in C-suite engineering roles in 2023
- In UK, women engineering directors: 9.2% in 2022 FTSE 100 companies
- In 2022, U.S. women engineers retention after 5 years: 45% vs. 65% men
- Early career attrition for women engineers U.S.: 38% leave within 10 years
- UK women engineers leaving profession: 25% within first 7 years 2022
- In 2022, U.S. women engineers earned 92% of men's median salary at $110,000 vs. $119,000
- Early-career women engineers U.S. pay gap: 5% less than men 2022
- UK women engineers median salary: £48,000 vs. £52,000 men 2022, 92% ratio
Women are underrepresented in engineering fields globally, though their numbers are slowly growing.
Employment Rates
- In 2022, the U.S. engineering workforce included 16.1% women, holding about 180,000 of 1.1 million jobs
- Women engineers in the U.S. full-time workforce: 15.8% in 2021, with median age 42 vs. 41 for men
- In the UK, women comprised 12.4% of the engineering workforce in 2022, totaling around 50,000 professionals
- Globally, women made up 28% of the engineering workforce in 2020, with highest in Argentina at 42%
- U.S. women in computer engineering jobs: 22% in 2022
- In Canada, female engineers numbered 13.7% of total in 2021, about 42,000
- Australian engineering workforce: 14.5% women in 2022, up from 11% in 2016
- In EU, women engineers: 17.5% in 2021, varying from 22% in Poland to 12% in Germany
- U.S. chemical engineering: 33% women in workforce 2022
- In India, women in engineering jobs: 14% in 2022, despite higher education rates
- Biomedical engineering U.S.: 45% women employed in 2022
- In 2021, U.S. women engineers unemployment rate: 2.8% vs. 2.5% for men
- France engineering workforce women: 20% in 2022
- In tech firms, women software engineers: 21% globally in 2023
- U.S. civil engineering women: 17% in 2022
- Germany women engineers: 16.2% in 2022 industry
- In 2022, Hispanic women engineers U.S.: 6.2% of total
- Black women in U.S. engineering workforce: 3.8% in 2022
- Asian women engineers U.S.: 11.5% of workforce 2022
- Women in U.S. manufacturing engineering: 12% in 2022
- UK women in aerospace engineering: 10.5% in 2022
- In startups, women engineers: 15% globally 2023
- U.S. electrical engineering women: 13% workforce 2022
- Sweden engineering workforce women: 25% in 2022
Employment Rates Interpretation
While a few bright spots like Argentina and biomedical engineering show true progress is possible, the stubbornly low global average for women in engineering reveals an industry still running on one wing, which is a comically inefficient design even by engineering standards.
Enrollment and Degrees
- In 2022, women represented 26% of all engineering undergraduates enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities, a slight increase from 24% in 2018
- Women earned 25.6% of bachelor's degrees awarded in engineering fields across the United States in the 2021-2022 academic year, totaling approximately 14,200 degrees
- In the UK, female students comprised 21.5% of first-year engineering undergraduates in 2021/22, compared to 19.8% five years prior
- Globally, women accounted for 35% of all tertiary graduates in engineering, manufacturing, and construction in 2020, varying widely by region from 40% in Latin America to 28% in Asia
- At MIT, women made up 47% of the incoming Class of 2026 declaring interest in engineering majors, surpassing the national average significantly
- In Canada, women received 23.4% of engineering bachelor's degrees in 2021, with a notable rise in computer engineering at 28%
- Australian universities saw women earning 24.1% of engineering undergraduate degrees in 2022, up 2.5 percentage points from 2017
- In India, female enrollment in engineering programs reached 43% of total seats in 2022, driven by increased access in IITs to 28%
- EU countries reported women as 30.2% of engineering graduates in 2021, with Finland leading at 38% and Italy at 25%
- In 2023, women comprised 22.7% of engineering PhD recipients in the U.S., with chemical engineering at 34.5%
- South Korea had women earning 21.8% of engineering bachelor's degrees in 2022, focused heavily in biomedical engineering at 45%
- Brazil's engineering degrees awarded to women hit 32% in 2021, highest in environmental engineering at 41%
- In Germany, women were 29% of first-year engineering students in 2022/23, up from 25% in 2018
- Japan saw female engineering undergraduates at 16.5% in 2022, with slow growth in electrical engineering to 20%
- In 2021, U.S. community colleges had 28% female enrollment in engineering transfer programs
- France reported 31% women in engineering master's programs in 2022
- Women in engineering associate degrees in the U.S. were 14.5% in 2022
- In 2023, HBCUs in the U.S. had 24% female engineering graduates
- Mexico's engineering bachelor's degrees to women reached 34% in 2022
- Sweden led Europe with 36% female engineering graduates in 2021
- In the U.S., women earned 19.2% of mechanical engineering bachelor's degrees in 2022
- China's female engineering enrollment hit 48% in 2022 at top universities
- In 2021, women were 27% of engineering students in online programs globally
- U.S. Hispanic women earned 8.5% of engineering bachelor's in 2022
- Black women in U.S. engineering degrees: 4.2% of total in 2022
- Asian women: 12.1% of U.S. engineering bachelor's recipients in 2022
- White women: 45.3% of female engineering graduates in U.S. 2022
- In 2023, women in U.S. engineering grad school enrollment: 27.4%
- Netherlands: 28% female engineering undergrads in 2022
Enrollment and Degrees Interpretation
While these statistics show a slow but promising crawl towards greater gender diversity in engineering globally, the persistent underrepresentation, stark geographic disparities, and the fact that progress often feels less like a rising tide and more like a series of isolated, hard-won leaks in a very large dam, reveal just how much structural and cultural work remains to be done.
Leadership and Advancement
- In 2022, women engineering managers U.S.: 12.5% of total, earning median $145,000
- Fortune 500 engineering firms: 8.7% women in C-suite engineering roles in 2023
- In UK, women engineering directors: 9.2% in 2022 FTSE 100 companies
- Globally, women CEOs in engineering-heavy firms: 6.4% in 2023
- U.S. women VP of Engineering: 11% in tech 2023
- Canada women in senior engineering roles: 14.3% in 2022
- Australian women engineering executives: 13.8% in ASX 200, 2022
- EU women engineering department heads: 15.2% in 2021 universities
- Women deans of U.S. engineering schools: 18% in 2023, up from 10% in 2015
- In India, women CTOs in engineering firms: 7.5% in 2022
- Biomedical engineering leadership women U.S.: 28% directors 2022
- Promotion rates: U.S. women engineers to manager 18% vs. 25% men in 2022
- France women engineering firm presidents: 11% in 2022
- Women board members engineering societies U.S.: 32% in 2023
- In academia, women full professors engineering U.S.: 16.5% 2022
- Tech companies women engineering leads: 10.2% Google 2023
- Hispanic women engineering leaders U.S.: 4.1% 2022
- Black women senior engineers U.S.: 2.9% 2022
- Asian women VPs engineering: 9.8% U.S. 2023
- Women engineering patent holders lead inventors: 12% U.S. 2022
- UK women engineering professors: 14% in 2022
- In startups, women engineering founders: 8.5% 2023
- Germany women engineering board chairs: 7.2% DAX 2022
- U.S. women tenured engineering faculty: 19.3% 2023
Leadership and Advancement Interpretation
These statistics paint a bleak picture of a leaky pipeline, where even a promising 28% in biomedical leadership can't mask the fact that, across the board, women in engineering are still being promoted like they're using dial-up in a 5G world.
Retention and Turnover
- In 2022, U.S. women engineers retention after 5 years: 45% vs. 65% men
- Early career attrition for women engineers U.S.: 38% leave within 10 years
- UK women engineers leaving profession: 25% within first 7 years 2022
- Global retention women engineering: 52% after 15 years vs. 72% men
- U.S. tech women engineers turnover: 17% annually 2023
- Canada female engineer retention rate: 68% after 3 years 2021
- Australia women engineers exit rate: 22% mid-career 2022
- EU women engineering retention: 55% long-term 2021
- Post-maternity leave return for women engineers U.S.: 62% full-time 2022
- India women engineers retention: 29% after 10 years 2022
- Biomedical women retention U.S.: 75% after 5 years 2022
- Reasons for leaving: 41% women cite work-life balance U.S. 2022
- France women engineers staying: 71% after 5 years 2022
- Mentorship impact: Women with mentors 82% retention vs. 65% without U.S.
- Flexible work boosts retention by 28% for women engineers U.S. 2023
- Hispanic women retention U.S. engineering: 52% 5-year 2022
- Black women turnover: 35% higher than average U.S. 2022
- Asian women retention: 70% after 5 years U.S. 2022
- Academia retention women engineering: 48% to tenure 2022 U.S.
- UK flexible policies: 15% drop in women leaving engineering 2022
- Remote work retention boost: 25% for women engineers global 2023
- Germany women mid-career retention: 60% 2022
- U.S. women engineers citing bias as leave reason: 29% 2022
Retention and Turnover Interpretation
The leaky pipeline of women in engineering persists globally, not for a lack of talent, but because the profession too often demands they choose between their career and their humanity, a calculus that statistics show many rightly refuse to make.
Salary and Compensation
- In 2022, U.S. women engineers earned 92% of men's median salary at $110,000 vs. $119,000
- Early-career women engineers U.S. pay gap: 5% less than men 2022
- UK women engineers median salary: £48,000 vs. £52,000 men 2022, 92% ratio
- Global engineering pay equity: Women 84% of men in 2020 OECD
- U.S. computer engineering women salary: $128,000 median 2022
- Canada women engineers average: CAD 95,000 vs. 105,000 men 2021
- Australia pay gap engineering: 18% women less 2022
- EU engineering gender pay gap: 16% average 2021
- U.S. chemical engineering women: $115,000 median 2022
- India women engineers salary: 82% of men average 2022
- Biomedical women U.S. salary: $98,000 median 2022
- With PhD, U.S. women engineers: $135,000 vs. $142,000 men 2022
- France engineering pay gap: 14% 2022
- Bonus pay women engineers U.S.: 75% of men's average 2023
- Senior women managers engineering: $160,000 median U.S. 2022
- Hispanic women engineers salary U.S.: $95,000 median 2022
- Black women: $102,000 vs. $118,000 white men 2022 U.S.
- Asian women engineers: $122,000 median U.S. 2022
- UK part-time women engineers: 88% pay equity when adjusted 2022
- Negotiation success: Women engineers 68% raise rate vs. 82% men U.S.
- Germany engineering pay gap: 19% 2022
- Overtime pay equity women engineers EU: 90% 2021
- U.S. women engineers with 10+ years exp: $125,000 median 2022
Salary and Compensation Interpretation
The global engineering field continues to run on a stubbornly outdated operating system where the data shows women, while performing the same complex calculations, are systematically paid a few crucial percentage points less for the final result.
Sources & References
- Reference 1NCSESncses.nsf.govVisit source
- Reference 2HESAhesa.ac.ukVisit source
- Reference 3UISuis.unesco.orgVisit source
- Reference 4MITADMISSIONSmitadmissions.orgVisit source
- Reference 5STATCANwww150.statcan.gc.caVisit source
- Reference 6DEWRdewr.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 7AISHEaishe.gov.inVisit source
- Reference 8ECec.europa.euVisit source
- Reference 9ASEEasee.orgVisit source
- Reference 10KOSTATkostat.go.krVisit source
- Reference 11INEPinep.gov.brVisit source
- Reference 12DESTATISdestatis.deVisit source
- Reference 13MEXTmext.go.jpVisit source
- Reference 14PUBLICATIONpublication.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.frVisit source
- Reference 15NCESnces.ed.govVisit source
- Reference 16SEPsep.gob.mxVisit source
- Reference 17MOEmoe.gov.cnVisit source
- Reference 18CLASSCENTRALclasscentral.comVisit source
- Reference 19CGSNETcgsnet.orgVisit source
- Reference 20CBScbs.nlVisit source
- Reference 21BLSbls.govVisit source
- Reference 22RAENGraeng.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 23WEFORUMweforum.orgVisit source
- Reference 24STATCANstatcan.gc.caVisit source
- Reference 25ENGINEERSAUSTRALIAengineersaustralia.org.auVisit source
- Reference 26AICHEaiche.orgVisit source
- Reference 27NASSCOMnasscom.inVisit source
- Reference 28INSEEinsee.frVisit source
- Reference 29MCKINSEYmckinsey.comVisit source
- Reference 30ASCEasce.orgVisit source
- Reference 31VDIvdi.deVisit source
- Reference 32SWEswe.orgVisit source
- Reference 33STEMstem.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 34CRUNCHBASEcrunchbase.comVisit source
- Reference 35IEEEieee.orgVisit source
- Reference 36SCBscb.seVisit source
- Reference 37ELEPHANTCARPENTERelephantcarpenter.comVisit source
- Reference 38ENGINEERSCANADAengineerscanada.caVisit source
- Reference 39BMESbmes.orgVisit source
- Reference 40ENTREPRISESentreprises.gouv.frVisit source
- Reference 41DIVERSITYdiversity.googleVisit source
- Reference 42NSBEnsbe.orgVisit source
- Reference 43LEANINleanin.orgVisit source
- Reference 44USPTOuspto.govVisit source
- Reference 45ADVANCE-HEadvance-he.ac.ukVisit source
- Reference 46DAXdax.deVisit source
- Reference 47GOVgov.ukVisit source
- Reference 48PROSPECTSprospects.ac.ukVisit source
- Reference 49OECDoecd.orgVisit source
- Reference 50RANDSTADrandstad.caVisit source
- Reference 51WGEAwgea.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 52NAUKRInaukri.comVisit source
- Reference 53ONSons.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 54HBRhbr.orgVisit source
- Reference 55GLASSDOORglassdoor.comVisit source