Women in the Field of Astronomy: Statistics


Several studies exist that attempt to quantify the representation of women in astronomy. Note that while many of these data overlap, the studies may refer to different years, represent different samples, and employ different categorization methods. This table gives a quick summary of the most recent results. “Professor” ranks include tenure-track positions only; please see the individual studies (linked below) for more precise numbers, uncertainties, and other details.

Current Percentage of Astronomers who are Women, by Rank

Rank NSF* AIP* CSWA NDS
Bachelor's Recipient 40 38    
First-Year Grad Student   41    
Grad Student 32 32 30  
Master's Recipient 39  30    
PhD Recipient 25 29    
Postdoc 18   22  
Instructor/Adjunct   15    
Assistant Professor   23 20 22
Associate Professor   23 21 17
Full Professor   10 9 10

* Note that NSF and AIP data have been updated since the June 2004 issue of STATUS went to press.


Relevant Studies and Reports by the National Science Foundation
  Bachelor's and Master's Recipients: 2001, from Science and Engineering Degrees:
   1966-2001

Graduate Students: 2003, from Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science
   and Engineering: Fall 2003

Ph.D. Recipients: 2003, from Science and Engineering Doctorate Awards: 2003
Postdocs: 2001, from Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science
   and Engineering: 2004

See also: Characteristics of Recent Science and Engineering Graduates: 2001
and Gender Differences in the Careers of Academic Scientists and Engineers, 2004
 
Relevant Studies and Reports by the American Institute of Physics
  Bachelor's, Master's, and Ph.D. Recipients: 2004, from Enrollments and Degrees
   Report, 2004

First-Year Graduate Students: 2003 and 2004, from Graduate Student Report:
   First-Year Physics and Astronomy Students, 2003-2004

Graduate Students: 2000-01, from 2001 Graduate Student Report
Faculty members: 2003, from Women in Physics and Astronomy, 2005
See also: Women in Physics 2000
 
Relevant Studies and Reports by the
AAS Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy
  All data: 2003, from the 2003 CSWA Survey of Astronomical Institutions
See also: Results from the 1992, 1999, and 2003 STScI/CSWA Surveys
and "Portrait of a Decade", from STATUS, June 2004
 
Relevant Studies and Reports by Dr. Donna J. Nelson, University of Oklahoma
  All data: 2003, from A National Analysis of Diversity in Science and Engineering
   Faculties at Research Universities
, 2004
See also: The Nelson Diversity Surveys, astronomy faculty data, astronomy Ph.D.
   attainment data



  Women in Astronomy home




Last updated September 10, 2006.
Please send comments and additions to jhoffman at astro.berkeley.edu.

Border from Horae, Westminster (Wynken de Worde), ca. 1494,
courtesy of the Medieval Woodcuts Clipart Collection.