Ratataz Logo Horizontal Version

STEM Statistics

(https://www.idtech.com/blog/stem-education-statistics)

STEM education stats 2021

1. STEM jobs are projected to grow 8.8%.

Between 2017 and 2029, the number of STEM jobs will grow 8 percent, a higher rate than non-STEM jobs—with positions in computing, engineering, and advanced manufacturing leading the way. (Via the US Bureau of Labor Statistics)   

2. Specifically, software development employment is projected to grow 22%.

Regarding the job outlook from 2019-2029, employment in software development is projected for 22% growth. (Via the US Bureau of Labor Statistics)   

3. Employment in STEM occupations has grown 79% since 1990.

Overall, since 1990, employment in STEM occupations has grown 79%—increasing from 9.7 million to 17.3 million. (Via a 2018 article from Pew Research Center)

4. The average median hourly wage for STEM jobs is $38.85.

Compared to the median earnings for all other types of jobs in the US – $19.30 – STEM-related jobs pay exceptionally well. (Via the Education Commission of the States)

5. The median annual wage of STEM occupations in 2020 was $$89,780.

This is well over double of that of non-STEM occupations, where the median annual wage came in at $$40,020. (Via the Bureau of Labor Statistics)

6. The US placed 30th of 64 countries in math, and 11th in science.

This is according to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)—which is regarded as one of the biggest cross-national tests of its kind. (Via US World News Report)

7. Only 20% of US high school graduates are prepared for college-level coursework in STEM majors.

According to a White House report, 20% of high school grads are ready for the rigors of STEM majors. In fact, over the past 15 years, this report also found that the US has only produced 10% of the world’s science and engineering grads. (Via American Affairs). 

8. 74% of middle school girls express an interest in engineering, science, and math...

But only 0.4% choose computer science as a major when they get to college. (Reported by girlswhocode.org and mentioned by the National Girls Collaborative Project)

9. 2 out of 3 US women say they were not encouraged to pursue a career in STEM.

In the 2019 STEM survey by Emerson, it was stated that 2 of 3 US women said they weren’t encouraged to pursue a STEM career. (From Emerson.com)

Read More: The Benefits of Encouragement

10. Women make up only about 18% of computer science undergrads.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that by 2026, computer science research jobs will grow 19%. However, only 18% of computer science bachelor’s degrees in the US are earned by women (Via computerscience.org)

11. As of 2019, women comprise just 27% of the STEM workforce.

This is despite making up 50 percent of the total college-educated workforce. Translation? A shockingly low percentage of women are pursuing careers in these fields. (Via census.gov)

12. 63% of middle school girls who know women in STEM feel powerful doing STEM.

In comparison, 46% of middle school girls who don’t personally know women in STEM feel powerful doing STEM. Similarly, 73% of those girls who personally know women in STEM understand the relevancy of STEM, and 72% know how to pursue a STEM career. This is compared to 51% and 47% of those who don’t personally know women in STEM, respectively. (Via Microsoft and a study done in partnership with KRC research)

13. Moms who communicate on STEM leads to girls being +20 points more interested in pursuing their studies.

From the same study above, “Having an encouraging mom who communicates about STEM is associated with girls being an average +20 points more interested in all STEM subjects compared to those girls who do not.” Having an encouraging teacher is associated with +21 points; having an encouraging dad is associated with +17 points. 

14. 40% of black students switch out of STEM majors before earning a degree.

This is according to a study published in the journal, Education Researcher, and highlighted by the Education Advisory Board. There is a lot of work to be done in addressing this trend, and promoting diversity in STEM starts at the university and K-12 level.

15. Black workers make up 11% of the US workforce, but represent 9% of STEM workers.

This is in addition to Latino STEM workers, who make up 16% of the workforce, but only 7% of all STEM workers. And, of those employed adults who hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, 7% are black workers and 6% are Hispanic workers of the STEM workforce.” Plus, recent headlines have exposed Silicon Valley’s diversity problem  and how much work there is still to do to improve equity in tech. (Stats via Pew Research Center)

16. The Department of Education recently invested $540 million in STEM education.

The White House “Charting a Course for Success Report” identified a need to bolster support for STEM education at both the K-12 and collegiate level. These funds include efforts to recruit and train quality STEM teachers, increase diverse representation, and provide curriculum and materials for schools. (Via The Department of Education). 

17. The US Bureau of Labor predicts 15% growth across healthcare professions by 2029.

STEM infuses virtually all aspects of the healthcare industry. By encouraging kids to pursue STEM, they’ll be prepared to find an exciting career within a wide range of options and increasing demand. (Via Bureau of Labor Statistics)

18. Fewer than half of the schools in the US offer computer science classes.

That’s right—according to a 2020 study sponsored by Code.org, fewer than half of US schools offer computer science curriculum. That begs the question: are kids going to be ready to meet the evolving, growing landscape of STEM professions. (Via ESchool News)

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit.

Lorem Ipsum Dolor Sit

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

  • Feature Item 1

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisi cing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut abore et dolore magna

  • Feature Item 1

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisi cing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut abore et dolore magna

  • Feature Item 1

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisi cing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut abore et dolore magna