Statistics About Girls, Non-Traditional Careers, and STEM (page 2 of 2)

Education

Between 1997–98 and 2007–08, the percentage of degrees earned by females fluctuated between 60 and 62 percent for associate's degrees and between 56 and 58 percent for bachelor's degrees, while the percentage of master's degrees earned by females increased from 57 to 61 percent. The percentage of first-professional degrees and doctoral degrees earned by females also increased during this period. In 1997–98, females earned 43 percent of first-professional degrees and 42 percent of doctoral degrees; in 2007–08, the respective percentages were 50 and 51 percent (U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2010).

In 2009 more young men than women took AP Calculus (53% young men vs. 47% young women) and AP Chemistry (54% young men vs. 46% young women) while more young women than young men took AP Biology (42% young men vs. 58% young women). The largest gaps still exist in AP Physics where about 69% of the test takers are male and AP Computer Science where over 82% of the test takers are male (College Board, 2009).

Women received 18% of Computer and Information Sciences undergraduate degrees in 2008, down from a high of 37% in 1984. Women's participation in computer science bachelor's degrees has been steadily decreasing since 1984 (National Science Foundation, 2008; NCWIT, 2010).

Women make up just 20% of the recipients of engineering bachelor's degrees. Only 9% of those women receiving engineering bachelor's degrees are Hispanic, and only 8% are African American (National Science Foundation, 2008).