The gender gap does appear to be shrinking somewhat for women in STEM. And while some states appear to have a smaller gap than others, the state with the smallest gap still shows more than twice as many men than women, in Maryland.
We still have a long way to go.
I would like to thank Hazel Garcia, writer and designer for Investment Zen, for drafting the following post. It provides great insight into exactly where the gender gaps in STEM are located.
STEM jobs, involving Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, have traditionally been held by men, but over the years, more and more women have taken notice of the benefits of pursuing a career in STEM. While the most noticeable benefit of a STEM role is the higher pay, many other benefits have been attracting women to the field.
STEM careers do offer better compensation, and they do so with less education needed than many similar-paying jobs. Most STEM occupations only require a Bachelor’s degree which not only gets women into the field faster but also significantly reduces student loan debt.
Another benefit that has shown increased appeal is the opportunity for early retirement. With the increased pay, many women can save enough money after 20-25 years of work to enjoy an early retirement.
Thanks to more organizations and universities, more programs and financial aid or being offered to encourage more women to enter the field. The influx of women into the space has caused the gender gap of STEM employees in the U.S. to shrink.
However, there’s still a lot of room for improvement before the ratios are truly equal.
Based on U.S. Census Data, this infographic breaks down the ratio of men to women working in STEM careers in each state. States like Maryland and Massachusetts have been more deliberate in hiring more women in STEM fields. With ratios of just over two men per woman in the field, they are the closest in the nation to having an equal proportion.
States like Idaho and Utah have a far more skewed proportion. Both carrying ratios of over four men per woman in the field, they are among the highest in the nation.
Curious to see where your state lands on the list? Check out the infographic below for a complete breakdown for not only the total number of men and women working STEM careers in each state, but also the corresponding ratio.
Via: InvestmentZen.com
Hazel Garcia is a writer and graphic designer for InvestmentZen who loves maximizing (and spending!) credit card rewards. In her spare time she’s also an avid traveler and foodie, and often goes on adventures with her faithful canine companion Momo.”
