In this article, we’ll explore key statistics for women in technology in 2024, and provide tips for organizations who want to help level the playing field for gender parity in tech.
What does the women in tech landscape look like in 2024?
Over the past few years, we’ve seen a number of businesses around the globe launch initiatives to attract and retain more women. Countless tech professionals have set up inspirational programs to support women in tech. And organizations that teach valuable tech skills like coding to people from underrepresented backgrounds are more popular than ever.
This work is certainly moving the needle for gender parity in tech, as well as promoting greater awareness of the obstacles women face in the industry, influencing practical action to shift them.
But still, women make up less than a third of the world’s workforce in technology-related fields. There’s clearly more work to be done, and data around gender disparity can give us important insight into where we stand and what more can be done.
Gender diversity in tech: 20 crucial statistics around the globe
First, the positives...
- Businesses with at least 30% women in leadership positions are likely to be 15% more profitable.
- Computing degrees have seen a 23% growth in accepted applications from women since 2019.
- If Europe could double the share of women in the tech workforce to roughly 45% by 2027, its GDP could increase by as much as €600 billion.
Women in tech employment statistics
Women hold 28% of all jobs in computer and mathematical occupations, falling to just 22% of all tech roles across European companies.
Taking a closer look at the UK, while 29% of the country’s tech sector employees identify as women or non-binary, this number falls to just 20% among software engineers.
The ratio of men to women in tech firms is about 3:1—rising to 4:1 for technical roles, and 72% of women in tech report that they’re outnumbered by men in business meetings by at least 2:1.
Just 26% of AI jobs globally are held by women, with even poorer representation in cloud and data where the numbers are 15% and 12%, respectively.
Women in tech education statistics
- Girls are interested in STEM at age 11 but have a change of heart by age 15; the main reason for this switch is a lack of role models.
- Only 20% of computer science undergraduate degrees in the US go to women.
- Only 27% of women among student groups say they would consider a career in technology, compared to 61% of males.
Women in tech retention statistics
At current rates, the share of women in tech roles in Europe is heading towards a decline to 21% by 2027.
43% of women in the tech sector think about leaving their role at least once a week.
More than half of women in tech leave the industry by the midpoint of their careers—over double the rate of men.
Women in tech pay quality statistics
Only 8% of women working in the UK’s tech sector believe they receive equal pay for equal work.
Women in tech typically earn around $15,000 less than men.
European women still make 26% less than men in the tech sector.
Women in tech discrimination statistics
72% of women in tech roles have experienced at least one form of sexism at work, including sexist ‘banter’ (22%) and questioning of their skills and abilities (20%).
70% of women in tech feel like they need to work harder and prove themselves because of their gender.
77% of male executives believe they are active allies for gender equality in their companies; only 45% of women executives agree.
Women in tech leadership statistics
- The share of women leaders in tech companies worldwide peaked at 14% in 2022. In the UK specifically, only 21% of senior tech role holders are currently women.
- Between 8% and 9% of women list their role as CIO, CTO, or IT manager and identify as technical team leads.
- 55% of women believe a lack of trust in their abilities is the biggest barrier to their progression, with 29% citing a lack of clear paths forward.
How to bring (and retain) more women into the tech sector
People are the engine that powers the tech industry. And without enough talent to go around, investments go to waste, revenue generation potential goes unrealized, and innovation dies on the vine… Clearly, we all need to do more to get women into tech roles and empower them to share in the opportunities that the fantastic technology industry offers. But how do we do that?
Here are a few key strategies that businesses can use to attract and retain talented women specialists and enjoy all the benefits that gender diversity can bring to their teams, including more innovation, fresh ideas, and greater profitability.
Actively foster inclusivity
An inclusive workplace is one where everyone feels equally valued, listened to, and rewarded. Unfair treatment is still hugely prevalent in tech, and if businesses want to retain talented women, they must take a hard line against discrimination and sexism in all its forms. Clearly outlining standards of conduct and delivering unconscious bias training is a good place to start.
Encourage male allyship—but not the performative kind
An ally at work is someone who calls out behavior when they see it and actively advocates for a more inclusive and fair organization—be it in terms of how their female colleagues are rewarded, how differences are celebrated, or how accessible mentorship schemes are to underrepresented groups like women. However, just like well-intended diversity initiatives can sometimes result in becoming ‘tick-box’ exercises, there’s a danger of veering into ‘performative allyship’ where someone declares they’re an ally, but their actions don’t match their words. To prevent this, incentivize good male allyship by setting up initiatives, designed to measure and recognize the efforts of allies across your organization.
Create clear progression pathways
Too many women leave the tech industry because they don’t feel they can progress or that they’re sidelined in favor of their male peers when it comes to promotions. Building and communicating clear pathways for progression helps eliminate potential bias and encourages women to move into leadership roles.
Encourage mentorship and community
Social and community support can be transformative for women looking to get into or grow their careers in tech. Creating spaces where women in tech roles can connect, share experiences, and offer support to one another goes a long way towards empowering women to succeed in tech.
Invest in upskilling and retraining
Don’t underestimate the talent you already have on your team. Many women in today’s workforce may not have had the opportunity or encouragement to get into tech, but that doesn’t mean they can’t start now. Offering upskilling programs and on-the-job training can help unlock incredible talent in budding tech professionals you didn’t even know you had.
Be transparent
It goes without saying that everyone should receive equal pay for equal work. But going that extra step and being completely transparent about gender pay parity in your business can help build trust among potential candidates and position you as an inclusive, fair place to work where women can thrive in tech roles.
Embrace new ways of working
With women still shouldering the majority of domestic work, caring responsibilities, and other unpaid labor, many struggle to thrive under the 9-5, office-based working model. Offering, and more importantly, encouraging, more flexible ways of getting things done, like remote working and flexible hours can make a massive difference. Embracing policies like these allows women to do their best work while balancing other responsibilities and helps them stay in the workforce so that they can progress to more senior roles.
So, where do we stand in 2024?
The gender disparity issue is wide-ranging. If we’re going to connect women to the opportunities they deserve and close the skills gap that threatens innovation across so many industries, we need a multi-pronged solution. Challenges for women in tech today don’t just include getting into a tech career and accessing the support they need to thrive; simply receiving fair treatment and equal compensation is difficult for many women in tech, driving up attrition rates and depriving the industry of talent. This lack of representation of women deters other women from joining the sector, creating a self-perpetuating cycle that does nothing to motivate budding tech professionals.
It’s absolutely critical that we view the answer to inequality in tech as a holistic one. Because it’s not a glass ceiling that’s holding women back; it’s a broken rung on a ladder that they’re otherwise completely qualified to climb. Getting some women through the door is only part of the solution. We need to adequately support women once they’re in, listen to their voices, and provide pathways, so they can progress into visible leadership positions where they can use their influence to address the problem from the inside.
Let’s work together to tackle gender parity in tech!
