
And Latina and Black women in STEM earn around $33,000 less (at an average of around $52,000 a year).

The myth of the math brain is one of the most self-destructive ideas in American education – research shows no innate cognitive biological differences between men and women in math. Math Anxiety: Teachers, who are predominantly women, often have math anxiety they pass onto girls, and they often grade girls harder for the same work, and assume girls need to work harder to achieve the same level as boys.

There are even fewer Black women role models in math and science. Fewer Role Models: girls have fewer role models to inspire their interest in these fields, seeing limited examples of female scientists and engineers in books, media and popular culture.Male-Dominated Cultures: Because fewer women study and work in STEM, these fields tend to perpetuate inflexible, exclusionary, male-dominated cultures that are not supportive of or attractive to women and minorities.Gender Stereotypes: STEM fields are often viewed as masculine, and teachers and parents often underestimate girls’ math abilities starting as early as preschool.Key factors perpetuating gender STEM gaps:

And some of the highest-earning STEM occupations, such as computer science and engineering, have the lowest percentages of women workers. Giving women equal opportunities to pursue - and thrive in - STEM careers helps narrow the gender pay gap, enhances women’s economic security, ensures a diverse and talented STEM workforce and prevents biases in these fields and the products and services they produce.Ī typical STEM worker earns two-thirds more than those employed in other fields, according to Pew Research Center. Tracking Girls and Women Out of Higher-Paying STEM Areas
