Gender Differences in Faculty Appointments for Ph.D. Recipients in STEM Fields

A new study by the American Institutes for Research finds that women who earn Ph.D.s in STEM disciplines are more likely than their male peers to start their career in the academic world. However, men with Ph.D.s in STEM fields are more likely to land academic posts at major research universities.

The study of more than 28,000 doctoral degree holders in STEM fields found that 79 percent of women with STEM Ph.D.s began their career at an academic institution compared to 67 percent of men with STEM Ph.D.s. But 13 percent of men began their career at a major research university compared to 10 percent of women with a STEM Ph.D.

Tanenbaum

The authors of the study Courtney Tanenbaum and Rachel Upton of the American Institutes for Research, stated, “An academic career in a STEM discipline demands a continuous progression from college, graduate school, postdoctoral work and then an academic appointment. This trajectory conflicts with the biological clocks of women who are beginning their careers when they are most likely to be starting a family or considering it.”

The study, Early Academic Career Pathways in STEM: Do Gender and Family Status Matter?, may be downloaded by clicking here.