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Build Girls

INDUSTRY FACTS

Women in STEM: The State of the Industry in 2026

  • Women represent 11.2% of the construction workforce as of 2024 — the highest
    share in two decades
  • Globally, women made up only 28.2% of the STEM workforce in 2024, compared to
    47.3% of the non-STEM workforce.
  • Just 17.2% of architecture and engineering jobs in the U.S. are filled by women, and
    women make up only 15% of all engineers in the U.S. workforce.
  • Women’s share of the STEM workforce has grown from 8% in 1970 to 28% by 2025
    significant progress, but still far from parity given that women are nearly half the total
    U.S. workforce.
  • Women hold only 4% of hands-on construction and maintenance occupations —
    the roles where additional workers are most urgently needed.
  • At the current rate of progress, equal representation of women in STEM would not be achieved until 2070.(STEM Women / AIPRM)
  • In science and engineering, women earn roughly 25% less than men — with a
    median annual salary just under $67,000 compared to nearly $89,000 for men.
  • Women account for approximately 21.3% of bachelor’s degrees in computer and
    information sciences and 22% in engineering and engineering technology.
  • Only 12% of AI researchers globally are women, and they hold just 16% of AI
    tenure-track faculty roles — a significant gap in one of the fastest-growing fields.
    (Women in Tech Network 2025)
  • STEM occupations are projected to grow 8.1% from 2024 to 2034 — more than three
    times faster than non-STEM occupations — making the underutilization of women’s
    talent an economic, not just a social, issue.
  • Of all the people working in infrastructure (over 10.0 million), women comprise 10.9%.
  • The number of women on the front lines of a job — are ~1 for every 100 employees
  • 87% of women working in construction hold office positions
  • Men in STEM earn nearly $15,000 more annually than women
  • Women also only make up about 14% of staff executives
  • Leadership: Industry-wide, women comprised 7.5% of all STEM managers
  • According to a Microsoft survey, Girls cited a lack of female role models in STEM as a key reasons they did not follow a career in the sector.
  • Women make up 7% of line executive positions
  • 0% – no public infrastructure company is run by a woman
  • Gender-diverse companies are 25% more likely to achieve above-average profitability
  • 13% of STEM infrastructure firms are owned by women.
  • As women make up 47% of all employed individuals, this means that the infrastructure industry is only benefitting from about 1.25% of women in the workforce.
  • 9% of women-owned firms achieved revenues greater than $500,000
  • 21% of engineering majors are women
  • 19% of computer and information science majors are women
EMPOWER

EMPOWER

CREATE DISCOVERY DAYS AND INFORMATION FOR FEMALES IN INFRASTRUCTURE

EDUCATE

EDUCATE

PROVIDE GIRLS INFORMATION AND ACCESS TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE INDUSTRY

ENGAGE

ENGAGE

CREATE A COMMUNITY OF FUTURE FEMALE LEADERS THAT WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD

EXPLORE

EXPLORE

CREATE A COMMUNITY OF FEMALE LEADERS THAT WILL WORK TO CREATE EQUALITY IN OPPORTUNITY