Women hold just 16.1% of engineering jobs in the United States, a figure that masks significant regional and disciplinary disparities. Their global workforce share stands at 28%, yet attrition and pay gaps illustrate persistent structural challenges across the industry.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the U.S. engineering workforce included 16.1% women, holding about 180,000 of 1.1 million jobs
- In 2022, women represented 26% of all engineering undergraduates enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities, a slight increase from 24% in 2018
- In 2022, women engineering managers U.S.: 12.5% of total, earning median $145,000
- In 2022, U.S. women engineers retention after 5 years: 45% vs. 65% men
- In 2022, U.S. women engineers earned 92% of men's median salary at $110,000 vs. $119,000
Women are still underrepresented in engineering, but progress is accelerating and more support is needed.
Related reading
01 · Category
Employment Rates24 stats
01
In 2022, the U.S. engineering workforce included 16.1% women, holding about 180,000 of 1.1 million jobs
02
Women engineers in the U.S. full-time workforce: 15.8% in 2021, with median age 42 vs. 41 for men
03
In the UK, women comprised 12.4% of the engineering workforce in 2022, totaling around 50,000 professionals
04
Globally, women made up 28% of the engineering workforce in 2020, with highest in Argentina at 42%
05
U.S. women in computer engineering jobs: 22% in 2022
06
In Canada, female engineers numbered 13.7% of total in 2021, about 42,000
07
Australian engineering workforce: 14.5% women in 2022, up from 11% in 2016
08
In EU, women engineers: 17.5% in 2021, varying from 22% in Poland to 12% in Germany
09
U.S. chemical engineering: 33% women in workforce 2022
10
In India, women in engineering jobs: 14% in 2022, despite higher education rates
11
Biomedical engineering U.S.: 45% women employed in 2022
12
In 2021, U.S. women engineers unemployment rate: 2.8% vs. 2.5% for men
13
France engineering workforce women: 20% in 2022
14
In tech firms, women software engineers: 21% globally in 2023
15
U.S. civil engineering women: 17% in 2022
16
Germany women engineers: 16.2% in 2022 industry
17
In 2022, Hispanic women engineers U.S.: 6.2% of total
18
Black women in U.S. engineering workforce: 3.8% in 2022
19
Asian women engineers U.S.: 11.5% of workforce 2022
20
Women in U.S. manufacturing engineering: 12% in 2022
21
UK women in aerospace engineering: 10.5% in 2022
22
In startups, women engineers: 15% globally 2023
23
U.S. electrical engineering women: 13% workforce 2022
24
Sweden engineering workforce women: 25% in 2022
Interpretation
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.
02 · Category
Enrollment and Degrees29 stats
01
In 2022, women represented 26% of all engineering undergraduates enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities, a slight increase from 24% in 2018
02
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
03
In the UK, female students comprised 21.5% of first-year engineering undergraduates in 2021/22, compared to 19.8% five years prior
04
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
05
At MIT, women made up 47% of the incoming Class of 2026 declaring interest in engineering majors, surpassing the national average significantly
06
In Canada, women received 23.4% of engineering bachelor's degrees in 2021, with a notable rise in computer engineering at 28%
07
Australian universities saw women earning 24.1% of engineering undergraduate degrees in 2022, up 2.5 percentage points from 2017
08
In India, female enrollment in engineering programs reached 43% of total seats in 2022, driven by increased access in IITs to 28%
09
EU countries reported women as 30.2% of engineering graduates in 2021, with Finland leading at 38% and Italy at 25%
10
In 2023, women comprised 22.7% of engineering PhD recipients in the U.S., with chemical engineering at 34.5%
11
South Korea had women earning 21.8% of engineering bachelor's degrees in 2022, focused heavily in biomedical engineering at 45%
12
Brazil's engineering degrees awarded to women hit 32% in 2021, highest in environmental engineering at 41%
13
In Germany, women were 29% of first-year engineering students in 2022/23, up from 25% in 2018
14
Japan saw female engineering undergraduates at 16.5% in 2022, with slow growth in electrical engineering to 20%
15
In 2021, U.S. community colleges had 28% female enrollment in engineering transfer programs
16
France reported 31% women in engineering master's programs in 2022
17
Women in engineering associate degrees in the U.S. were 14.5% in 2022
18
In 2023, HBCUs in the U.S. had 24% female engineering graduates
19
Mexico's engineering bachelor's degrees to women reached 34% in 2022
20
Sweden led Europe with 36% female engineering graduates in 2021
21
In the U.S., women earned 19.2% of mechanical engineering bachelor's degrees in 2022
22
China's female engineering enrollment hit 48% in 2022 at top universities
23
In 2021, women were 27% of engineering students in online programs globally
24
U.S. Hispanic women earned 8.5% of engineering bachelor's in 2022
25
Black women in U.S. engineering degrees: 4.2% of total in 2022
26
Asian women: 12.1% of U.S. engineering bachelor's recipients in 2022
27
White women: 45.3% of female engineering graduates in U.S. 2022
28
In 2023, women in U.S. engineering grad school enrollment: 27.4%
29
Netherlands: 28% female engineering undergrads in 2022
Interpretation
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.
03 · Category
Leadership and Advancement24 stats
01
In 2022, women engineering managers U.S.: 12.5% of total, earning median $145,000
02
Fortune 500 engineering firms: 8.7% women in C-suite engineering roles in 2023
03
In UK, women engineering directors: 9.2% in 2022 FTSE 100 companies
04
Globally, women CEOs in engineering-heavy firms: 6.4% in 2023
05
U.S. women VP of Engineering: 11% in tech 2023
06
Canada women in senior engineering roles: 14.3% in 2022
07
Australian women engineering executives: 13.8% in ASX 200, 2022
08
EU women engineering department heads: 15.2% in 2021 universities
09
Women deans of U.S. engineering schools: 18% in 2023, up from 10% in 2015
10
In India, women CTOs in engineering firms: 7.5% in 2022
11
Biomedical engineering leadership women U.S.: 28% directors 2022
12
Promotion rates: U.S. women engineers to manager 18% vs. 25% men in 2022
13
France women engineering firm presidents: 11% in 2022
14
Women board members engineering societies U.S.: 32% in 2023
15
In academia, women full professors engineering U.S.: 16.5% 2022
16
Tech companies women engineering leads: 10.2% Google 2023
17
Hispanic women engineering leaders U.S.: 4.1% 2022
18
Black women senior engineers U.S.: 2.9% 2022
19
Asian women VPs engineering: 9.8% U.S. 2023
20
Women engineering patent holders lead inventors: 12% U.S. 2022
21
UK women engineering professors: 14% in 2022
22
In startups, women engineering founders: 8.5% 2023
23
Germany women engineering board chairs: 7.2% DAX 2022
24
U.S. women tenured engineering faculty: 19.3% 2023
Interpretation
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.
More related reading
04 · Category
Retention and Turnover23 stats
01
In 2022, U.S. women engineers retention after 5 years: 45% vs. 65% men
02
Early career attrition for women engineers U.S.: 38% leave within 10 years
03
UK women engineers leaving profession: 25% within first 7 years 2022
04
Global retention women engineering: 52% after 15 years vs. 72% men
05
U.S. tech women engineers turnover: 17% annually 2023
06
Canada female engineer retention rate: 68% after 3 years 2021
07
Australia women engineers exit rate: 22% mid-career 2022
08
EU women engineering retention: 55% long-term 2021
09
Post-maternity leave return for women engineers U.S.: 62% full-time 2022
10
India women engineers retention: 29% after 10 years 2022
11
Biomedical women retention U.S.: 75% after 5 years 2022
12
Reasons for leaving: 41% women cite work-life balance U.S. 2022
13
France women engineers staying: 71% after 5 years 2022
14
Mentorship impact: Women with mentors 82% retention vs. 65% without U.S.
15
Flexible work boosts retention by 28% for women engineers U.S. 2023
16
Hispanic women retention U.S. engineering: 52% 5-year 2022
17
Black women turnover: 35% higher than average U.S. 2022
18
Asian women retention: 70% after 5 years U.S. 2022
19
Academia retention women engineering: 48% to tenure 2022 U.S.
20
UK flexible policies: 15% drop in women leaving engineering 2022
21
Remote work retention boost: 25% for women engineers global 2023
22
Germany women mid-career retention: 60% 2022
23
U.S. women engineers citing bias as leave reason: 29% 2022
Interpretation
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.
05 · Category
Salary and Compensation23 stats
01
In 2022, U.S. women engineers earned 92% of men's median salary at $110,000 vs. $119,000
02
Early-career women engineers U.S. pay gap: 5% less than men 2022
03
UK women engineers median salary: £48,000 vs. £52,000 men 2022, 92% ratio
04
Global engineering pay equity: Women 84% of men in 2020 OECD
05
U.S. computer engineering women salary: $128,000median 2022
06
Canada women engineers average: CAD 95,000 vs. 105,000 men 2021
07
Australia pay gap engineering: 18% women less 2022
08
EU engineering gender pay gap: 16% average 2021
09
U.S. chemical engineering women: $115,000median 2022
10
India women engineers salary: 82% of men average 2022
11
Biomedical women U.S. salary: $98,000median 2022
12
With PhD, U.S. women engineers: $135,000vs. $142,000 men 2022
13
France engineering pay gap: 14% 2022
14
Bonus pay women engineers U.S.: 75% of men's average 2023
15
Senior women managers engineering: $160,000median U.S. 2022
16
Hispanic women engineers salary U.S.: $95,000median 2022
17
Black women: $102,000vs. $118,000 white men 2022 U.S.
18
Asian women engineers: $122,000median U.S. 2022
19
UK part-time women engineers: 88% pay equity when adjusted 2022
20
Negotiation success: Women engineers 68% raise rate vs. 82% men U.S.
21
Germany engineering pay gap: 19% 2022
22
Overtime pay equity women engineers EU: 90% 2021
23
U.S. women engineers with 10+ years exp: $125,000median 2022
Interpretation
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.
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
Stefan Wendt. (2026, February 13). Women In Engineering Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/women-in-engineering-statistics
MLA
Stefan Wendt. "Women In Engineering Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/women-in-engineering-statistics.
Chicago
Stefan Wendt. 2026. "Women In Engineering Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/women-in-engineering-statistics.
Sources & references
55 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level