The tech industry is known for its movers and shakers that have effectively gotten some of today's most used technology into our hands. Although the industry is growing by the second with no signs of slowing down, women still fall behind men in tech education, employment, and pay rates.
Whether you're a woman interested in joining the industry or a company seeking to close the gender gap, the following women in tech statistics might surprise you.
11 Women in Tech Statistics You Should Know
Gender equality in the workplace has a long way to go, and, based on the statistics below, the tech industry has some of the biggest strides to make.
1. Global technology companies could soon see close to 33% of their workforce represented by women
Deloitte, a global accounting firm, projects that 2022 will be the year that nearly one-third (32.9%) of the technology global tech company workforce will host women, up from 32.2% in 2021. That's steady progress from previous years, with 31.5% in 2020 and 30.8% in 2019. However, only 25% of women are projected to hold technical roles within those companies.
2. Women hold more than 26% of senior-level positions in S&P 500 companies
According to Zippia research, more than one-quarter (26%) of the executive, senior, and management positions in S&P 500 companies belong to women. Additionally, women leaders of Fortune 1000 companies are responsible for bringing in three times the returns as primarily male-led S&P 500 companies.
3. 44% of women believe that gender discrimination is a major problem in the tech industry
Despite the presence of women making gains in tech, they do not always feel as though they're equal to their male co-workers. A 2017 Pew Research report found that 44% of women noted gender discrimination as a major problem in tech, compared to only 29% of men. About one-third (33%) of women also believe that gender discrimination runs higher in the tech industry than in other sectors. Only 19% of men agreed.
4. Women in tech are still earning less than their male co-workers
Even in today's progressive work climate, women in technology are earning 17.5% less than men. In 2020, women took home only 33% of the tech industry's compensation. On the bright side, that was a 2% increase over 2019's data.
5. Only 16% of female students have had someone suggest a tech career to them
Women gaining interest in the tech industry often begins with education. However, only 16% of female respondents of a PwC UK report say that they've had a tech career suggested to them, compared with 33% of males. Furthermore, only about 19% of computer science majors and 21% of engineering majors are women (via AAUW).
6. Two of today's largest tech companies have massive gender gaps
Both Facebook and Apple — two of the largest technology companies in the world — still employ more men than women. As of June 2021, women held 36.7% of Facebook's positions, slightly lower than the prior year. Women made up only 34% of Apple's workforce in 2020, although the number increased 1% from 2018.
7. Small technology companies are likelier to hire women
An AnitaB.org 2020 report found that small companies with fewer than 1,000 employees were likelier to hire women than medium or large-size corporations (30.2% compared with 29.6% and 27.0%, respectively). Deloitte's data shows a small but steady increase in gender diversity in large tech companies since 2019.
8. The pandemic decreased the ability of women to create a work-life balance by 38%
The COVID-19 pandemic shook virtually all industries and their employees. However, only 32% of women in technology feel confident in their ability to create a work-life balance post-pandemic. This is a 38% decrease from pre-pandemic days.
9. 72% of women in tech experience "pervasive bro culture"
Bro culture is a term used to describe a workplace environment in which men seem superior and women inferior, often resulting in toxic work culture. According to the 2021 Women in Tech Report from TrustRadius, 72% of women in tech believe their workplaces are dominated by bro culture.
10. 78% of women in the industry feel that they work harder than others to prove their worth
The TrustRadius report also highlights another important revelation: More than three-quarters of women in the tech industry believe they work harder than their coworkers to prove their value at least some of the time. However, just 54% of men think they need to out-perform their coworkers.
11. Women leave their tech jobs at alarming rates
While the tech industry has experienced growth in its acceptance of women, females are still leaving the industry at a rate that's 45% higher than men. More than one-quarter of women state that a top reason for leaving is a lack of growth opportunities (via DataProt).
Closing Gaps for Women in Technology
Although making strides toward gender diversity, the technology industry still has opportunities and a responsibility to continue to welcome skilled and motivated women. Read our blog to learn more about some of the most incredible women in technology today and how they're shaping the industry's future.
