Survey of U.S. Data Scientists Finds Less than 20% of Roles Held by Women
A new survey highlights an ongoing gender imbalance in the data and analytics space.
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A review of the state of diversity in U.S. data and analytics has found that just 18% of data science roles are held by female professionals, and 11% of data teams have no women at all.
Against a backdrop of women making up 47% of the global workforce, this survey, which includes data from over 1,000 respondents, paints a picture of an ongoing marked gender imbalance. Across all data roles, from insight analysts to data engineers, women account for an average of 31% of positions. However, this number falls to 24% when looking at senior technical, director, and VP roles.
The report, “Diversity in US Data & Analytics,” authored by specialist recruitment consultancy Harnham, discovered that although there have been concerted efforts to increase the number of women in STEM fields, there remains a real lack of gender diversity. This is despite the fact that recent research from LinkedIn found that 82% of hiring managers considered diversity to be a top issue in 2018.
Although there are some brighter spots on the horizon, with women making up 46% of U.S. digital analytics roles and accounting for 42% of entry level positions, there is still some way to go towards reaching gender parity, particularly in management positions.
Stephanie Brooks, a partner at Harnham, comments: “The business case for a diverse workforce is clear—research has continuously proven that diverse teams yield better results. A diverse workforce creates a more holistic business: one filled with more innovative products and services, in addition to creating a more stimulating, enjoyable, and challenging environment for individuals to thrive in. In order to remain competitive in attracting and retaining the best skills in the market, businesses must explore ways to accommodate and support a diverse range of talent.”
Harnham’s review of diversity within the data and analytics industry in 2019 also features commentary on how different ages, ethnicities, and minorities are represented within the industry. It is available to download from https://www.harnham.com/us/2019-usa-diversity-in-data-analytics-report.