Is it hard to get a job in the engineering field as a woman? Whats the ratio of women to men in a work environment? Whats the ratio in college?

The male-female ratio and the environment varies by engineering field and by institution. I suggest talking to female engineering students at any college you consider and, when you get to college, taking part in activities sponsored by the Society of Women Engineers. There will be times in your education or career that you are greatly in the minority, when someone makes a hurtful remark, and you ask yourself whether you belong in engineering. With a support network and, of course, hard work, there's no reason you can't be successful.

It's hard to answer the question of whether it's easier or harder to get a job as a woman. How people get jobs is so random. One person might get a job because he was in the same college club as someone in the company; another might not get a job because he reminded the hiring manager of someone he dislikes. While it's true that some companies say they want to increase the proportion of women, it's not always the case that everyone in the company is on board or that the necessary support structures are in place. Additionally, I would advise any of my female students to avoid any company that has lower standards for hiring female employees. You don't want to work somewhere where people say that you were only hired because you were female. (Unfortunately, there are still people who say such things even if the standards are the same. I hope that will be rarer by the time you graduate and that you will know not to take them seriously.)

Overall, I'd say that gender is unlikely to be a primary factor in whether you get a good job when you graduate. What's most important is the field of your degree, the economy at the time you graduate, your experience, whether you are willing to relocate, your professional network, etc.

Lest I've discouraged you too much, know that there are benefits to being a woman in engineering (beyond the obvious benefit on the heterosexual dating market). There are grants and summer research opportunities aimed at women, which can give you a leg up when it's time to look for a job because of your greater experience. Engineers of any sex tend to get paid more than people in other fields. Most importantly, engineers get to change the world.

FWIW, I am a professor of computer science at Mills College, a research scientist at Google, and an MIT graduate (SB, SM, PhD). Of course, my opinions are my own.

Hi Martina,

You will most definitely NOT have a harder time getting a job in engineering being women. Engineering has always had a higher percentage of men-to-women and most companies I've worked for wanted to improve on this ratio, but it's typically harder to find female engineering graduates. Note that most good companies want more diversity in their workplace, not less. The actual ratio depends on the type of company and the type of business, but I would say it varies between 50-50 (newer industries) to 80-20 (older industries) men-to-women. The ratio in college is going to vary widely, but those should (hopefully) be available from the college. Note that some colleges have a high percentage of males to females, so chose a school [if you can] that has a ratio you're comfortable with. In the "old days" I have seen EE classes with 2 females and 58 males. I'm hoping and assuming things have improved in this regard.

Note that your first job right out of college is the toughest time to find work (man or women). After 2-3 years of experience, it's much easier, and after 5-7 years really easy. Summer intern jobs (if you can find them) are a big help for both your resume and in making contacts at a company.

Hi Martina
I worked in the aircraft engine division of General Electric for 40+ years. My last job was manager of instrumentation and Data recording for engine test. During my 6 yrs. as a manager I hired 4 women engineers into my group. The company ratio is still very low but it is the highest it has ever been.
GE Aviation hire mostly Mechanical engineers but there are a few Electrical and computer Science engineers as well.
I would say that your chances of getting a job as a woman are as high as a man in today’s environment.
Companies like GE are struggling to hire engineers because the students today are not going into engineering as much as they used to.
I would encourage you to go into the engineering field if you are strong in math and sciences; I think your chances of getting a job upon graduation are as good as or better than most fields.

Dave

In my career it is pretty much 1:8 women to men. Today, I am the only women in sales at a Director level at my company in North America, but it doesn't change how I contribute or how I behave. I always hire the best person for the job. Men and women have different skills and bring different things to a team. I like balance and diversity but I hire for what the person brings to the table and believe I get hired for the same reasons. I would actually say it may be easier now because if you come with the right attitude the sky is the limits. Always be humble and learn from others. Remember you are on a learning journey and it takes time whatever field you choose. good luck!