Growth in women's share of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations—as well as the accompanying salaries—has slowed since the 1990s, according to a U.S. Census Bureau press release. While women make up nearly half of the workforce, they were 26 percent of the STEM workforce in 2011.
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Get Your Report Now!Women's employment in STEM has slowed because their share in computer occupations declined to 27 percent in 2011 after reaching a high of 34 percent in 1990. Blacks and Hispanics also remain underrepresented in STEM jobs, according to the report.
In 2011, there were 7.2 million STEM workers accounting for 6 percent of the U.S. workforce compared with 4 percent in 1970. Half of STEM workers were employed in computer occupations, followed by engineers (32 percent), life and physical scientists (12 percent), social scientists (4 percent), and mathematicians and statisticians (3 percent).
Earnings by sex
Men with a bachelor's degree in science or engineering and employed full-time, year-round in STEM occupations earned $91,000, compared with women who earned $75,100 on average. Women with a science or engineering bachelor's degree who were employed full-time, year-round in STEM occupations earned $16,300 more per year than women who had a bachelor's degree in science or engineering but were not employed in a STEM occupation.