Women in Engineering in Washington
How women in engineering fare in Washington — state-adjusted pay gap, state ranking, and the national context that frames the local picture.
The state-adjusted picture
Women in engineering nationally face the same structural conditions as women in every other field — but the overall wage environment in Washington modifies the baseline by -5.6% 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.
Washington elected its first woman US Senator in 1993.
National context
Engineering remains the most male-dominated STEM field. Women earn 24% of engineering degrees and hold 16% of engineering jobs. This page tracks the numbers by specialty, pay, and where the pipeline leaks hardest.
National headline stats (engineering)
Other fields in Washington
Engineering in other states
Related pages
Frequently asked
What is the pay gap for women in engineering in Washington?
Washington’s overall pay ratio is 79.1% — a 20.9% gap. The gap within engineering follows the national pattern modified by Washington’s overall wage environment. See the full national field data for in-field specifics.
How does Washington rank on pay equity?
Washington ranks #38 of 51 US jurisdictions on pay equity, per Census ACS state ratios.
How are women represented in Washington politics?
49.7% of Washington state legislators are women (CAWP 2024). 5 women from Washington serve in the 119th US Congress.
Where does the national engineering data come from?
BLS Labor Force Statistics; NSF NCSES Women, Minorities, Persons with Disabilities in S&E; Society of Women Engineers Research