Women in the workplace statistics show different trends regarding women and their status at work. In the past five years, the status of women in the workplace has significantly improved. A growing number of companies are starting to recognize the benefits of having women in all significant roles. Therefore, more women are now occupying the top positions in large companies.
Sadly, not every employer respects all the employees equally, and they don’t have the same opportunities to prosper. Female workers are still marginalized and discriminated against at all levels, in spite of the progress and fights for a better status of women both in the workplace and society.
Interesting Statistics on Women in the Workforce (Editor’s Pick)
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69% of women wouldn’t hesitate to ask to participate in a project.
- 31% of female workers would dare to negotiate for a raise.
- 75% of mothers of children under 18 have a full-time job.
- In 40% of households, mothers are the main or only breadwinners.
- Women are more likely to obtain a bachelor’s degree before they turn 29.
- 70% of women are actively seeking a better job.
- Women of color account for less than 11% of management positions.
Compelling Male vs. Female Employment Statistics and Facts
1. Women hold 38% of management positions.
(Lean In)
Last year, women occupied 48% of entry-level positions. However, in terms of higher roles, men seem to be favored way more than women. Namely, in 2019, just 38% of women were managers, 34% were senior managers, 30% were vice presidents, 29% were senior vice presidents, and only 21% were executives.
Gender inequality in the workplace statistics is rather harsh when it comes to managerial roles. For every 100 men promoted to managers, just 79 women are promoted or hired. The figures are more extreme for women of color, who account for just 17% of entry-level and 4% of executive roles.
2. Women held 22% of C-suite positions in 2018.
(The Muse)
Women in leadership roles statistics disclose that women occupied 48% of entry-level positions in 2018. However, the higher the role, the lower the numbers. As a result, women held 38% of manager-level and only 22% of executive roles.
Unfortunately, the reason for such low numbers isn’t women leaving the labor force or the companies. Both male and female workers are doing so at the same rate. The true reason appears to be a lack of trust in women and their abilities.
3. 20% of working women are mistaken for junior employees.
(The Muse)
Women bosses in the workplace statistics confirm that female employees are twice as likely to be confused with interns or junior employees. One-fifth of women have been mistaken for a junior employee position, as opposed to only 10% of men. Also, females are 50% more likely to be asked to provide extra proof of their competence and area of expertise than their male counterparts.
4. 31% of women have asked for a raise.
(Career Contessa)
Statistics on women in the workforce suggest that although women might be regarded as the weaker sex, it doesn’t mean they are less courageous. Numbers support this claim. Namely, 31% of female workers bravely negotiated for a raise, compared to 29% of men. This only confirms that women are more audacious than men when it comes to career advancement.
5. One in five women is an “only.”
(Wiw-Report)
The challenges women face in the workplace are tough. Namely, one in five working women reported they tend to be the only women in the group of peers they’re working with or sharing the office. Women in senior positions are twice as likely to experience the same. On the other hand, only 5% of men happen to be in such a situation.
So, not only are working women outnumbered, but they also tend to have terrible experiences in the workplace. They’re more prone to microaggression compared to women who work exclusively with other women.
6. 29% of female employees think that gender hinders career advancement.
(The Muse)
Statistics on sexism against women in the workplace are terrifying. Approximately 25% of women and 8% of men deem they were bypassed for a promotion or raise because of their gender. Likewise, 29% of females, as opposed to 15% of males, reckon their gender might prevent them from advancing in their careers.
It’s distressing to know that not only are there fewer women in higher positions, but they’re also less likely to be promoted. Considering these facts, gender differences in the workplace statistics are not surprising.
Curious Facts and Stats on Women in the Workplace
7. 40% of mothers are the sole breadwinners in US households.
(Resourceful Manager)
Women are the breadwinners in nearly two-thirds of US households. According to The Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau, that number was 11% in 1960. Likewise, working married female’s share in the mutual family income is 44%.
8. 34% of women obtained a bachelor’s degree before the age of 29.
(Career Contessa)
Presently, women are obtaining university degrees at a bigger rate than ever. Encouraging women in the workplace statistics show that the percentage of employed women with a college degree has almost quadrupled since 1970. Speaking of which, 34% of women obtained their degree by the age of 29, while 36% of men did the same.
Besides, more women are enrolling in colleges and unis after graduating from high school. What’s even more surprising is that an increasing number of women are obtaining post-graduate diplomas.
9. 69% of working women would ask to take part in a project.
(Career Contessa)
Over two-thirds of women would dare to demand to participate in a significant project. What’s more, 66% of female employees would accept a project or assignment that is new to them, as statistics on women in the workplace reveals. It can’t be denied that women adore challenges at work.
10. 82% of social workers in the US are women.
(Career Contessa)
Despite women not being equally paid or appreciated as men in the workplace, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t professions where women dominate. Women are typically a major part of the labor force in education, administration, healthcare, social work, etc.
As the percentage of women in the workforce indicates, women comprise the great majority of social workers — over 80%. What’s more, female workers account for 98% of the speech-language pathologists, 69% of physiotherapists, and 60% of pharmacists. However, the smallest percentage of the female labor force is seen in the scientific and technical services (43.2%) and the construction sector (8.9%).
11. 33% of female workers feel more engaged at work than men.
(Career Contessa)
Women in the workplace statistics show that women feel more engaged in the workplace than men. Over one-third of women are actively involved in work, 50% aren’t engaged, whereas 17% are disengaged. Their male counterparts show slightly different figures: 25% are actively engaged, 53% aren’t committed, while 19% are disengaged.
Even though women are more committed to their work, they’re still facing obstacles in their career advancement, as well as lower pay.
12. Women account for 16% of the enlisted forces.
(CFR)
If stereotypes of women in the workplace were right, women would never be involved in any armed services. However, statistics prove otherwise. What’s more, women make up 19% of military officers.
13. 70% of working women are looking for a new job.
(Career Contessa)
Even though women are devoted to their job, they aren’t afraid of leaving it for a better one. 70% of women who participated in a survey admitted they are seeking new opportunities, although they’re more or less satisfied with the current one.
14. The overall number of businesses owned by women rose by 68% between 1997 and 2014.
(Career Contessa)
Woman-owned business statistics indicate that more and more women are becoming business owners, which is a significant improvement in the female business scene. Unfortunately, female-owned businesses aren’t generating as much revenue as male-owned. The difference in revenue is drastic and goes up to 61%. To illustrate, a typical female-owned company makes $155,000 per year, as opposed to a man-owned company that makes a whopping $400,000 per year.
Insurmountable Problems Women Face in the Workplace
15.35% of female workers have experienced sexual harassment at work.
(The Muse)
The shocking figures show that more than one-third of women with full-time employment have been victims of sexual harassment at some point in their careers. Those victims had divergent professions and roles and were of different sexual orientations. Out of the overall number, 55% were senior leaders or managers, 48% were lesbian women, and 45% worked in technical areas. No one can deny that sexual harassment of women in the workplace statistics are absolutely appalling.
16.30% of women believe there is no point in reporting sexual harassment in the workplace.
(The Muse)
Employees aren’t entirely confident about their company’s addressing sexual harassment reports and claims. Even though 70% believe that the company would adequately investigate the claim, only 52% would agree. On the other hand, 15% of male employees think that reporting harassment would be futile or risky. It’s horrifying that 30% of women agree with their male colleagues.
17. Women have a 16% lower hourly wage than men.
(Catalyst)
Gender pay gap statistics show that even in the 21st century, women still make less than men. The average hourly wage that female workers earn is 16% less than male workers’ hourly wage. Similarly, women’s average monthly wage is 22% less than men’s. In the US only, women made $0.82 to $1 that men made in 2018 per year.
18. Only 26% of women participate in the gig economy.
(Catalyst)
As gender diversity in the workplace statistics show, women aren’t that likely to participate in the gig economy. In fact, only 26% of females do, as opposed to 32% of men. What’s more, women encounter a pay gap even there.
A survey of a world online platform discovered that women make 37% less than men. Another survey of Uber rideshare drivers in the US revealed that men earned 7% more per hour than women.
19. 33% of women have never had a meaningful conversation with senior leaders.
(The Muse)
As for gender discrimination in the workplace statistics, 33% of women, and 41% of African-American women, stated they had never had any substantial conversation with their senior managers or leaders. Conversely, only 27% of men had reported the same.
While 40% of male employees admitted they hadn’t had any informal conversation with managers or leaders, 49% of white, 54% of Latin American, and 59% of African-American women admitted the same.
Even though such facts about women in the workplace might not look as a significant discrepancy, communication with seniors may have a considerable impact on women’s careers. It may affect promotions, raises, and career progression. Put simply, less communication implies fewer opportunities and prevents employees from advancing their careers.
20. 64% of female employees encounter microaggression.
(The Muse)
Over two-thirds of women have experienced microaggressions in the workplace, according to sexism in the workplace statistics. Microaggression is described as subtle or unintentional derogatory comments or remarks about a marginalized group of people or any group for that matter—in this case, women. Even though these comments might seem insignificant, they shouldn’t be ignored. Such workplace hostility implies that, regardless of their role, women are seen as inferior.
21. Women of color account for less than 11% of management positions.
(Catalyst)
Workplace statistics about women of color in the management reveal not so flattering figures. A year ago, white females held 32.3% of managerial positions. That number was significantly smaller for women of color. More precisely, their share of leadership positions was 10.8%. Latin American women held 4.3% of management positions, African-American women held 4% of management positions, and Asian women held 2.5% of management positions. It’s obvious that companies haven’t been eager to promote women of color to senior roles.
Conclusion
Statistics of improvement of women in the workplace indicate that significant progress has been made to improve women’s position. Modern women manage to have full-time jobs and be full-time mothers and wives. Besides, a growing number of women are steadily becoming business owners.
Still, women are constantly facing problems and challenges in the workplace. The most frequent forms include gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and a considerable pay gap. Plus, non-white women are continually facing racial discrimination.
Those problems aren’t insurmountable, but their solution still takes a lot of time. The overall statistics are both promising and shocking at the same time. Compared to women’s positions in the past, their position improved significantly. Yet, some figures are still disappointing.
FAQ:
What percentage of women are in the workplace?
Females have been part of the US labor force for over a century. As of September 2020, women’s participation rate in the US workforce is 55.6%. Compared to the ratio from December 2019, when American women held 50.04% of jobs, there is an increase of over 5%. The growth in female workers’ positions is primarily due to the increased rate of highly educated women graduating from colleges and universities.
What is the most common job for a woman?
Even though the number of women employed in male-dominated industries is not big, there are jobs that are more female-oriented. According to the statistics, females are generally more present in administration, education, and social services.
The most typical occupations for women include:
- Nurse (92%)
- Meeting and convention planner (83.3%)
- Teacher (81.9%)
- Tax examiner (73.8%)
- Health service manager (69.5)
- Social service manager (69.4%)
- Psychologist (68.8%)
- HR manager (66.8%)
What are the highest paying female jobs?
The list of best-paid female jobs include:
- Financial analyst: $71,188
- Psychologist: $74,724
- Physician assistant: $85,280
- Lawyer: $91,156
- Physician/Surgeon: $91,468
- Nurse practitioner: $95,264
- Chief executive: $99,840
Despite these whopping sums, women are still making significantly less than their male counterparts, regardless of the role. In fact, the higher the role, the greater the pay gap. However, the most striking revenue difference is seen in women vs. men-owned businesses, where the income discrepancy goes to 61%.
What is the average income for a woman in the US?
In 2018, women earned $45,097 annually on average, compared to men who made $55,291. In August/September 2020, the national average for women amounted to $68,193 per year.
These figures indicate that women are earning significantly less than men. The uncontrolled pay gap (the difference in the average salary of all men and women, regardless of the workplace) reveals that women make 81 cents for each $1 that men make. The controlled pay gap (the difference in the average salary of men and women with the same job and competences) is somewhat more favorable — women make 98 cents for every dollar men make.
What percentage of women are in leadership roles?
Last year, the percentage of women in leadership roles was 29%.
This figure hasn’t changed in 2020, signifying a considerable gender discrepancy in the workplace, especially in higher positions. The global statistics show that 87% of worldwide mid-market businesses have at least one female senior manager. However, the percentage of women senior managers varies according to the role.
Female managers are dominant in areas such as administration, compared to men who are present in operation, research, profit and loss, and development. All these are taken as crucial experiences for the role of a CEO. Similarly, 40% of HR directors are females, as opposed to 17% of CMOs and 16% of CIOs.
Why are women underrepresented in top management and leadership roles?
The reasons for such a bad status of women in companies are many, and all lead to gender discrimination in the workplace. The majority of women encounter judgment and mistrust from their seniors whenever they’re about to make significant decisions. Besides, women need to invest extra effort to prove that their knowledge and competence are equal to or even better than their male counterparts’. Last but not least, as women in the workplace statistics uncover, the “glass ceiling” prevents women from advancing in their careers and reaching the top position in the company.
