Women in Tech 2026: 26% Representation, 72% Report 'Bro Culture'

According to Women Tech Network, women make up a modest 26.4% of total U.S. employment in the broader Computer and Mathematical Occupations category. While women make up 47% of all employed adults in the US, they comprise only 35% of STEM workers overall.

At Big Tech companies, representation varies:

• Amazon: 45% women overall (highest)
• Meta: 37% women overall
• Apple: 34% women overall
• Google: 33% women overall
• Microsoft: 33% women overall

However, leadership numbers are significantly lower: just 29%, 34%, 31%, 28%, and 26% at these companies respectively. Notably, none of these companies have ever had a female CEO.

According to StrongDM, the earnings gap in computer science jobs is among the narrowest in STEM fields: women earn about 94% of what men do. However, the gap widens significantly for women of color.

• Overall STEM gap: Men earn $85,000 vs. women's $60,828 (~$15K difference)
• CS-specific gap: Women earn 94% of men's pay (narrower)
• Latina and Black women: Typically earn around $52,000 annually
• Startup CEO gap: Female CEOs receive ~$133K vs. male CEOs' ~$153K

According to Spacelift's research, 72% of women in tech say their workplace demonstrates a 'bro culture' that prioritizes men when it comes to networking or decision-making spaces.

• 36% of men, 41% of women cite gender stereotypes as the top barrier to leadership
• 56% of men, 66% of women believe women need longer hours to advance
• Only 52 women promoted to manager for every 100 men in technical roles (McKinsey)
• 8% of CTOs are women

According to AAUW, by the time students reach college, women are significantly underrepresented in STEM majors—only around 21% of engineering majors and 19% of computer and information science majors are women.

The pipeline leaks early: Around age 11, girls and boys show similar interest in STEM, but many girls lose interest by age 15. Among teenagers, males are twice as likely as females to express interest in learning computer science or programming.

The causes include: a dearth of female role models, ongoing stereotypes, and fewer encouragements to pursue technical fields. The result is a self-reinforcing cycle where low representation perpetuates low representation.

There are signs of progress, though recent DEI rollbacks threaten gains:

• 77.1% of tech companies implement formal processes to hold leaders accountable to DEI goals
• Progress perception improving: Women who saw diversity efforts as 'symbolic' fell from 70% (2024) to 40% (2025)
• Historical gains: Women grew from 8% of STEM employees in 1970 to 28% by 2019
• Education initiatives: Programs targeting girls in STEM show promise in maintaining interest through high school

However, Big Tech's recent rollback on DEI programs is a blow to efforts to make the industry more welcoming to minorities. The progress made may face headwinds if accountability mechanisms weaken.