Women in tech vs. women outside of tech
More than half of women in tech feel they have been held back in their careers because of their gender, according to the latest reading of an ongoing query by Comparably. That’s a 20% higher rate than among women in jobs outside of tech, where 44% of women feel their gender has held them back.
Departments where this feeling is most prevalent
On a department level, women in engineering, finance, and marketing roles at tech companies were most likely to feel this way.
Women in HR, sales, and administrative roles were least likely to feel this way.
Interestingly, men in communications, marketing, and administrative roles at tech companies also reported relatively high rates of feeling held back by their sex. (The overall average among men was 6%.)
From an ethnicity perspective
African American and Native American workers felt that their gender had held them back at a rate double that of Hispanic workers.
The youngest and oldest workers feel this way
It’s no surprise that the oldest workers (61+) reported some of the highest rates of feeling hindered by their gender at work — after all, much of their careers were likely spent in the ages of women being seen as homemakers first and foremost. It is notable, however, that the youngest workers (age 18-25) report the next highest rates of feeling hindered by their gender, considering they are the newest additions to the modern work force.
Cities where this feeling is most prevalent
From a geographic perspective, Atlanta and Los Angeles had the highest rates of workers who feel their careers have been hindered by gender (28% and 26%, respectively). Salt Lake City and Portland, Ore., had the lowest (14% and 17%).
The responses came from more than 1,000 men and women across the technology industry. The latest reading is as of May 22.
