Data · Montana × Academia

Women in Academia in Montana

How women in academia fare in Montana — state-adjusted pay gap, state ranking, and the national context that frames the local picture.

77.9%
Montana overall earnings ratio (women/men)
Census ACS S2001
#43
of 51 jurisdictions for pay equity
Derived from ACS state ratios
22.1%
Unadjusted pay gap in Montana
Census ACS
36%
Women in Montana’s legislature

The state-adjusted picture

Women in academia nationally face the same structural conditions as women in every other field — but the overall wage environment in Montana modifies the baseline by -7.0% relative to the US average. A state where the overall pay gap is narrower tends to reflect narrower gaps within fields too, though field-specific dynamics dominate for specialized professions.

Montana has never elected a woman US Senator.

National context

Women now earn the majority of US doctorates and the majority of early-career postdocs — but hold 33% of full professorships. The leaky pipeline isn't about the front end anymore; it's about tenure, administrative roles, and the step from associate to full professor.

Full national data Women in Academia: Numbers, Pay, and Trends (2026)

National headline stats (academia)

52.4%
Women among US doctorate recipients (2023)
33.7%
Women among full professors at US universities (2023)
$16K
Median annual pay gap — female vs male full professors (CUPA-HR 2024)
28%
Women among US university presidents (ACE 2023)

Other fields in Montana

Academia in other states

Related pages

Frequently asked

What is the pay gap for women in academia in Montana?

Montana’s overall pay ratio is 77.9% — a 22.1% gap. The gap within academia follows the national pattern modified by Montana’s overall wage environment. See the full national field data for in-field specifics.

How does Montana rank on pay equity?

Montana ranks #43 of 51 US jurisdictions on pay equity, per Census ACS state ratios.

How are women represented in Montana politics?

36% of Montana state legislators are women (CAWP 2024). 0 women from Montana serve in the 119th US Congress.

Where does the national academia data come from?

NSF Survey of Earned Doctorates; AAUP Faculty Compensation Survey; American Council on Education — Women in Leadership