Women’s participation in STEM fields in Utah has increased from 17.1% in 2015 to 24% in 2023. That, in researchers’ books, represents a win. The number, however, lags behind other growth metrics those industries have shown nationwide.

“Utah has made progress in the last few years in decreasing occupational segregation (the disparity between the number of women and men in a field or industry) in STEM,” the report says. “However, there still are far more men in STEM occupations than women, and Utah is behind the nation in this domain.”

While Salt Lake City ranks No. 12  on the list of best cities for STEM jobs in the country, according to the financial consultant WalletHub, Utah’s capital is only the 35th best for “STEM-friendliness.” That’s a score partially determined by the disparity of women versus men in STEM occupations and degree fields, according to the report.

Utah women made up 24% of the state’s STEM workforce in 2023, up from the 20.9% recorded in 2019, a number that Kolene Anderson, associate director at the Utah Women and Leadership Project, celebrated. But, that’s still not proportionate with the general growth of STEM occupations in the state, which was 17.7% from 2019 to 2023.

Because women are less likely to pursue STEM education, they are less likely to be in these fields that are associated with high growth and high wages, Anderson said. But also, with technologies like artificial intelligence emerging, diversity in that workforce is essential to help solve challenges with discrimination and sexism that have occurred in the past, she said.

“As technology advances, as social challenges become more complex, we need women in those spaces as well to talk about potential solutions,” Anderson said, “just so that we can be more inclusive.”

Women and men don’t significantly differ in their math and science abilities. But, they do have different levels of interest, confidence and sense of belonging in the STEM industry, researchers wrote.

“This disparity is caused by several factors, including the lack of female role models, bias in the industry, and pressure to balance life and work, to name a few,” according to the brief.

Utah girls consistently score lower in math benchmark exams than boys in 4th and 8th grades, according to the report. That, Anderson said, influences whether or not girls have the confidence and interest to pursue careers in STEM fields.

“I believe that is a very ingrained cultural, social thing. How do we figure out exactly what the cause of that is? That’s complex,” Anderson said. “But I suspect, and I think most researchers suspect, that it’s more of a social challenge to resolve. It’s not a capability issue, it’s a social issue.”

Mixed messages

Added to this mix is what Anderson describes as “mixed messages” from the Utah Legislature.

In 2024, the state passed a law restricting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in public entities, limiting programs based on “personal identity characteristics,” including gender. That same year, the Legislature also approved a non-binding resolution promoting opportunities for women in STEM.

With cuts of federal funding for gender research, the scenario has become even more confusing and frustrating, she said, especially since research shows that “having a watered down version of supporting everybody is less effective than targeting specific initiatives where you’re trying to get women or minorities involved in STEM.”

This year, the state also approved a law requiring public universities to cut 10% of their budgets for courses, aiming to step away from “inefficient” programs and invest more in high-demand degrees. Lawmakers often listed some STEM jobs as careers they would like to propel as part of the budget restructuring — a positive approach, in Anderson’s perspective.

“But I hope that in the process, the sentiment of that joint resolution that they passed last year doesn’t get lost,” Anderson said. Especially, when including more women in these fields is both good for innovation, the economy, and Utah women, girls and their families.

Utah News Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.