North America
Canada
United States
Labor Force
| Occupation | Percent of Women1 |
|---|---|
| Biological Scientists | 50.1% |
| Medical Scientists | 52.8% |
| Chemists and Materials Scientists | 44.2% |
| Computer and Mathematical Occupations | 25.6% |
| Environmental Scientists and Geoscientists | 25.7% |
Education
Women in Management in Science
- Women are 21.6% of all science and engineering managers.2
- Of scientists and engineers employed in business and industry in 2003, men, on average, have 12 subordinates. Women have 9 subordinates.3
- According to a survey of 42 chemical companies,
- in 2007, only 9.2% of all 404 executive officer positions were filled by women; this has risen from 8.7% in 2006.4
- in 2007, women were only 12.0% of the 416 board directors. While it was an improvement since a 2006 survey where only 11.1% of its directors were women, it did not surpass the 12.8% measured in a 2003 survey of board directors at chemical companies.5
Women in Academic Sciences
| Field of Doctorate | % of Women in Positions in Academia (Working less than 10 years) | % of Women in Positions in Academia (Working 10 or more years) |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematical Sciences | 27.3% | 12.9% |
| Biological and Agricultural Sciences | 40.7% | 26.9% |
| Health Sciences | 67.9% | 59.0% |
| Physical and Related Sciences | 65.2% | 40.6% |
| Social Sciences | 22.5% | 11.3% |
| Psychology | 65.2% | 40.6% |
| Engineering | 18.7% | 5.8% |
- A National Science Foundation (NSF) longitudinal analysis of the academic career paths of men and women found that marital status and children impact women's chances for earning tenure and maintaining a position as either an associate or full professor. Female doctoral S&E faculty are less likely than their male colleagues (67% vs. 84%) to be married and less likely to have children living with them (42% vs. 50%).7
- Women with eight or nine years of postdoctoral experience who are employed full time in academia are about 6.9% less likely than men to be tenured, and women with 14 or 15 years of experience are 8.5% less likely than men to be tenured.8
| Faculty Title | Percent |
|---|---|
| Professor | 20.3% |
| Associate Professor | 37.3% |
| Assistant Professor | 42.9% |
- In most fields in academia, men dominate the positions filled by doctoral scientists and engineers.10
Women of Color in Science
- Women of color are 10.3% of all employed scientists and engineers in the United States.11
| Faculty Title | Percent |
|---|---|
| Professor | 2.9% |
| Associate Professor | 7.2% |
| Assistant Professor | 12.6% |
| Occupation | Women’s Salary as a Percent of Men’s Salary | Women’s Median Salary | Men’s Median Salary |
| Mathematical Sciences | 75.7% | $56,000 | $74,000 |
| Biological /Life Sciences | 85.2% | $52,000 | $61,000 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 88.8% | $71,000 | $80,000 |
| Physical Sciences | 76.9% | $50,000 | $65,000 |
| Social Sciences | 90.0% | $63,000 | $70,000 |
| Psychology | 84.6% | $55,000 | $65,000 |
Europe
Labour Force
Gender Pay Gap for Women in Sciences
Even in science, women lag behind men’s pay, making a smaller percent than what men make. The following chart depicts how much less than men women make.
Women Nobel Prizes Winners in Science
- Since the Nobel Prize was established in 1901, only two women, Marie Curie (1903) and Maria Mayer (1963), have won the Nobel Prize for Physics.14
- Four women, Marie Curie (1911), Irène Joilet-Curie (1935), Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin (1964), and Ada E. Yonath (2009) have won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry since 1901.15
How to cite this product: Catalyst. Catalyst Quick Take: Women in the Sciences. New York: Catalyst, 2013.
- 1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, "Table 11: Employed Persons by Detailed Occupation, Sex, Race, and Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity 2012," Annual Averages 2012 (2013).
- 2. National Science Foundation, "TABLE 9-34: Scientists and Engineers Employed in Business or Industry, By Managerial Occupation, Sex, Race/Ethnicity, and Disability Status: 2006," Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering (2011).
- 3. National Science Foundation, "Figure H-7: Median Number of Subordinates of Scientists and Engineers Employed in Business or Industry, By Sex, Race/Ethnicity, and Disability Status: 2003," Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering (2006).
- 4. Alexander H. Tullo, "Women in Industry: In the Boardroom and Executive Suite, Participation is Still Miniscule," Chemical and Engineering News, vol. 85, no. 31 (July 30, 2007): p. 38-39.
- 5. Alexander H. Tullo, "Women in Industry: In the Boardroom and Executive Suite, Participation is Still Miniscule," Chemical and Engineering News, vol. 85, no. 31 (July 30, 2007): p. 38-39.
- 6. National Science Foundation/Division of Science Resources Statistics, "Table 19: Employed Doctoral Scientists and Engineers in Universities and 4-year Colleges, By Broad Field of Doctorate, Sex, Faculty Rank, and Years Since Doctorate: 2003" (2011).
- 7. National Science Foundation, "Thirty-Three Years of Women in S&E Faculty Positions," (2008).
- 8. National Science Foundation, Gender Differences in the Academic Careers of Scientists and Engineers (2004).
- 9. National Science Foundation, "Table 9-25: S&E Doctorate Holders Employed in Universities and 4-Year Colleges, By Broad Occupation, Sex, Race/Ethnicity, and Faculty Rank: 2008," Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering (2011).
- 10. National Science Foundation, "Thirty-Three Years of Women in S&E Faculty Positions," (2008).
- 11. National Science Foundation, "Table 9-37: Demographic Characteristics of Employed S&E Doctorate Holders, By Race/Ethnicity and Sex: 2006," Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering (2011).
- 12. National Science Foundation, "Table 9-25: S&E Doctorate Holders Employed in Universities and 4-Year Colleges, By Broad Occupation, Sex, Race/Ethnicity, and Faculty Rank: 2008," Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering (2011).
- 13. National Science Foundation, "Table 9-16: Median Annual Salary of Scientists and Engineers Employed Full Time, By Highest Degree, Broad Occupation, Age, and Sex: 2006" (2011).
- 14. Nobel Prize, "Women Nobel Laureates" (2012).
- 15. Nobel Prize, "Women Nobel Laureates" (2012).
0 Reader Comments
Leave A Comment