Gender Gap in STEM Statistics 2025-2026

Are Girls Worse at Math Than Boys?

A growing body of research by the Harvard Gazette shows that neither boys nor girls are born better at math. Nevertheless, according to TIMSS results, in 2023, 4th grade boys outperformed girls in math in 81% of global education systems; at 8th grade, the gender gap favored boys in 47% of education systems and girls in 11%, with no gap in 42%.

IEA and UNESCO explain the gender-based differences in math performance with disparities in learning experiences, including student attitude and instructional practices, rather than innate ability.

Which STEM Fields Have the Biggest and Smallest Gender Gaps?

According to NCSES 2023 data (latest), the biggest gender gaps are present in technology, computer sciences, and engineering (based on graduations). Meanwhile, there are more female graduates than male ones in health, psychology, biological & biomedical sciences, science & mathematics education, and agriculture.

What percent of STEM majors are female by field:

Workforce Gender Gap in STEM Statistics

At the global level, the percentage of women in STEM fields jobs is 28.2% (WEF, 2024). Female representation in STEM careers shows a sharp drop to the top: while women make up about 29% of entry-level STEM professionals, the share of women in STEM leadership reaches only 12% of C-suite positions.

Women in STEM Leadership and the “Broken Rung”

While McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace 2025 report doesn’t focus on STEM careers specifically, it highlights important issues. Women are increasingly underrepresented as they climb the corporate level: 49% at the entry level to 29% the C-suite level. Women face a “broken rung” at the first step to a manager position, as only 93% get promoted to a manager for every 100 men.

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Key Factors Behind the Gender Gap in STEM

The main reasons for the low participation of women in STEM fields include a lack of confidence in their own skills and interest in the subject, insufficient female role models, and the existing workplace culture. Unequal pay rates and career growth limitations further contribute to the STEM gender gap. 

Confidence and Interest Gaps

A driving factor behind the few women entering the STEM pipeline is girls’ generally low interest in the field. According to 2023 Gallup data, 63% of Gen Z girls (vs 85% of Gen Z boys) are interested in at least one STEM field. As many as 61% of young girls simply don’t enjoy STEM, while the corresponding number is 58% for boys.

More stark, however, is the difference in the perception of their own STEM-related skills between the genders. The same survey discovered that 57% of Gen Z females don’t think they’d be good at STEM subjects, and the proportion is only 38% for boys.

Geillan Aly, Founder and CEO of Compassionate Math, shares her insights on why girls often turn away from STEM:

“Girls’ disengagement from STEM comes from many things, including the perception that being smart isn't cool/sexy for girls.”

Poor fit in terms of the perception of what a career in STEM looks like: can I have children and go into STEM, can I have a demanding job and be loved/have a personal life or a proper work-life balance with a career in STEM, can I be more successful than my potential partner?
This is where role models and mentorship come in. If the picture of an engineer in a girl's mind is a man, and that girl has never seen/interacted with a female engineer, then that girl may not consider being an engineer a possibility for girls. Girls (and society in general) need to see counterexamples to all the factors I outlined above. If we can spotlight scientists who look like these girls, scientists who are successful mothers, women who are highlighted as a valuable member of their team, STEM can be more enticing.

Geillan Aly

Founder / CEO at Compassionate Math

Fewer Visible Role Models

The overall lack of female role models in STEM is another factor fueling the gender gap. As few women enter the STEM workforce and even fewer make it to leadership positions, young girls don’t get exposure to many role models in their immediate surroundings or in the media, creating a vicious cycle where the STEM gender gap feeds itself.

Interestingly, a 2024 study published in the Journal of Science and Technology found out that STEM graduates expect their role models to be:

• Ambitious
• Charismatic
• Empathic and encouraging
• Inspiring
• Knowledgeable
• Gifted
• Professional

Workplace Culture and Retention

Once employed, women working in STEM face hostile environments, a lack of inclusive policies, gender-based violence, and sexism more frequently than women employed in other fields, as highlighted by AAWU. 2022 data from Canada also confirms that isolation, mockery, and sexual harassment prevent women’s recruitment, retention, and advancement in male-dominated fields like STEM.

As a result, the female attrition rate in STEM is 45% higher than the male (2020 data – latest), and women in tech are 2.5 times more likely to leave their job before the age of 30 than in other fields, according to Accenture. Moreover, 50% of women with tech jobs quit before the age of 35.

The Gender Pay Gap in STEM

Another reason why women leave STEM is the discrepancy in remuneration based on gender rather than objective criteria, such as experience, qualifications, and skills. Compared to a national gender pay gap of 6% in the US in 2024 (latest data), the difference between what men and women make in science and in engineering is 13.1% and 9.5%, respectively. Naturally, young female scientists and engineers quit due to this injustice, as wage is the ultimate testament to how much your job values you.

Career Advancement Barriers

Hardships to career growth are yet another factor that pushed women away from STEM. The WEF (2024) reports that the drop to the top – C-suite to entry-level positions – is noticeable in STEM professions at 42%, compared to 46.3% in other fields.  Forego also highlights that in 2024, only 52 women moved to tech management roles for every 100 men.

The traditional role of women in the family also plays a role. While 42% of women leave their full-time STEM careers after the birth of their first child, the number is only 15% for men (2019 – latest data).

How the Gender Gap Affects Future Earnings

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2024 the median annual wage for STEM occupations was more than double the median for non-STEM jobs: $103,580 vs $48,000. While estimates of the gender pay gap in the US vary by source, all agree that women make less.

So, the real issue with women in STEM meaning is that while females could have the potential to earn more in math and tech fields, they generally remain restricted to more traditional jobs, ending up paid less than males.

Statistics on Parents’ Involvement in STEM

Research (2024) by Jon Goh at the University of the West of Scotland shows that STEM activities performed with parents at home or during science museum visits directly impact children’s interest in science and academic performance. Talks about the application of technology and math in the real world also have a positive effect on students.

Furthermore, parents’ careers influence the participation of girls in STEM. A 2024 article in Advances in Life Course Research states that daughters of mothers working in STEM are 6% more likely to choose a STEM career themselves.

Shelley Gupta, Founder of BāKIT Box, highlights how the role that educational institutions play in the formation of statistics about women in STEM has changed in recent years:

“For in-person schools especially, cooking and homemaker classes are pushed more towards girls, while other programs like wood shop, STEM-focused classes are pushed more for boys.”

Many schools in the US have started to move away from this idea in the present day, and push inclusivity for all, but there is still much work to be done to eliminate the gender bias as a whole.

Shelly Gupta

MBA, Founder of BāKIT Box

Gender Gap in STEM Over Time (2020-2026)

STEM Education Gender Gap

STEM Workforce Gender Gap

The participation of women in the STEM labor force increased from 26.1% in 2016 to 28.2% in 2024, according to WEF data. This change of 2.1 percentage points slightly exceeds the increase in the labor force participation of women in non-STEM fields of 1.8 percentage points.

COVID-19 Impact on the Gender Gap

The COVID-19 pandemic worsened existing gender gaps in education. In the early 2020s, girls experienced more significant pandemic learning losses in mathematics and science than boys.

Why Does the Gender Gap in STEM Matter?

Closing the STEM gender gap can contribute to fairness and equity, but it also affects economic growth, innovation, and the ability to meet future workforce demands. In 2015, McKinsey estimated that advancing women’s equality (in STEM and beyond) can add $12 trillion to the global economy by 2025, and the numbers are likely to be significantly larger by 2026.

How to Close the Gender Gap in STEM

• Introduce STEM  subjects early, and encourage girls to pursue related education.
• Build a strong math foundation through private tutoring.
• Promote visible female role models and increase leadership representation along the STEM funnel.
• Address structural barriers such as the pay gap, lack of family-friendly policies, and gender bias.
• Create inclusive workplaces and address unconscious biases. 
• Support women to stay in STEM careers by offering mentorships and support programs. 
• Provide professional development opportunities.

Hannah Hagon, Author and Founder of Unplugged Tots, proposes the following ideas to increase girls’ participation in STEM:

“Building foundational computational thinking skills through guided unplugged play activities utilising craft, movement, everyday items and familiar topics encourages girls' interest and confidence in STEM.”

Hannah Hagon

Author, Founder of Unplugged Tots

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Conclusion

The gender gap in STEM is an ongoing Through teaching skills such as sequencing, logic, critical thinking and problem solving through screen free activities, girls develop the confidence and agency to advocate for themselves and their peers in collaboration work.problem despite minor improvements in recent years. The solution requires a multifaceted systemic approach that removes the root causes of the issue. If you need help in preparing your child for a career in STEM, we can help with online math classes tailored to the requirements and goals of your kid.

If you’d like to test Brighterly, you can book a free lesson.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Women Earn Fewer STEM Degrees Than Men?

Around the globe, 35% of STEM graduates are women and 65% men (UNESCO 2026), so women earn significantly fewer STEM degrees than men. Still, there are major differences across countries, and in some locations – like Algeria, Oman, and Benin – more females graduate with STEM degrees than males.

Are Girls Worse at Math Than Boys?

Despite girls’ obtaining lower average scores on standardized tests like the SAT, there is no scientific evidence that they are inherently worse at math than boys. Recent research attributes the gender gap in STEM statistics to girls’ attitudes and interests, as well as to social stereotypes to some degree.

Is the Gender Gap in STEM Getting Bigger or Smaller?

Recent data shows that the STEM gender gap is slowly closing, but there’s a long way to go until men and women get equal treatment. Globally, the share of female STEM professionals grew from 26.1% in 2016 to 28.2% in 2024, but women are still 2.5 times less likely to pursue a STEM career than men.

At What Age Does the STEM Gender Gap Start?

The exact age depends on how exactly you define what is a STEM gender gap. By 6 years of age, kids from both genders already see girls as having worse skills in computing and engineering, leading to the engineering gender ratio.

Which Country Has the Smallest Gender Gap in STEM?

According to WEF 2024 data, the country with the smallest gender gap in education statistics was Algeria, where 58.17% of STEM graduates were women. Oman with 55.73%, Benin with 54.88%, and Brunei Darussalam with 54.34% also had the highest percentages of female STEM graduates.

How Many Women Work in Engineering and Computer Science?

In 2024, a total of 2,299,000 women worked in engineering and computer science in the US, making up 3% of all employed women (U.S. BLS data). The number of men working in engineering and computer science was 7,640,000, 3 times the number of female employees.