Statistics About Girls, Non-Traditional Careers, and STEM (page 2 of 2)
Education
Women receive less than 28% of the computer science bachelor's degrees, down from a high of 37% in 1984. Computer science is the only field in which women’s participation has actually decreased over time. (American Association of University Women (AAUW) “Tech-Savvy: Educating Girls in the New Computer Age” 2000)
Women make up just 9% percent of the recipients of engineering-related bachelor’s degrees. (American Association of University Women (AAUW) “Tech-Savvy: Educating Girls in the New Computer Age” 2000)
Even though 54% of the 1999 SAT I test-takers were women, only 19% of the students who planned to go into engineering and 23% of those who planned to go into computer science were young women. Young women were more likely to plan to major in the physical sciences (40%), mathematics (45%) and biological sciences (64%). (College Board, 2000)
Women continue to be concentrated in fields that historically have been dominated by women. In 1996 women earned 75% of education degrees, the same rate as in 1970. In engineering, women went from less than 1% in 1970 to 16% in 1996. (National Center for Education Statistics, Trends in Educational Equity of Girls & Women, 2000)
In 1999 more young men than women took AP Calculus (55% young men vs. 45% young women) and AP Chemistry (57% young men vs. 43% young women) while more young women than young men took AP Biology (43% young men vs. 57% young women). The largest gaps still exist in AP Physics where about 70% of the test takers are male and AP Computer Science where over 80% of the test takers are male (College Board, 1999)
Girls display what one researcher calls "computer reticence," in part because culture and stereotypes steer them away from machines. (R. Hartigan, "Girls Byte Back," Teacher Magazine, April 1999, and N. Bloom, "Why Do Fewer Women Choose Computing Careers?" Boston Software News, March 1999)
Girls are more successful in math and science programs that incorporate a cooperative, hands-on approach than in programs that stress competition and individual learning. (National Council for Research on Women, Balancing The Equation: Where are Women & Girls in Science, Engineering & Technology? 2001)
