30+ Diversity in High Tech Statistics [2023 Data]

There's no doubt technology has transformed society in so many ways. But while tech has made huge advancements, it still struggles with diversity and inclusion. Despite stated commitments to equality, the statistics show the industry has a long way to go.

On paper, tech companies may talk about diversity. But the numbers reveal a different story. Women remain woefully underrepresented. Black employees make up a small percentage of the workforce. Even with recent diversity initiatives announced, progress has been painfully slow.

Looking at the data, it's clear that the tech world does not yet reflect broad talent diversity. For all its innovations, the industry lags in providing equitable representation.

This is not meant to attack tech - the problem is complex and systemic. But the first step is acknowledging where things currently stand. Tech has not done enough to transform its culture and combat exclusion.

The good news is that change is possible. With more outspoken advocacy, recruitment initiatives, and mentoring programs, tech can live up to its ideals. But getting there will require an honest assessment of where the industry falls short in diversity and why. Only then can the work truly begins. Keep reading to discover everything about high-tech diversity.

Critical Diversity in High-tech Stats

1. In 2021, 7.9% of the US labor force was employed in technology.
2. Women hold only 26.7% of tech employment, while men hold 73.3% of these positions.
3. White Americans hold 62.5% of the positions in the US tech sector. Asian Americans account for 20% of jobs, Latinx Americans 8%, and Black Americans 7%.
4. 83.3% of tech executives in the US are white.
5. Black Americans comprised 14% of the population in 2019 but held only 7% of tech employment.
6. For the same position, at the same business, and with the same experience, women in tech are typically paid 3% less than men.
7. In comparison to other industries, the high-tech sector employs more men (64% against 52%), Asian Americans (14% compared to 5.8%), and white people (68.5% versus 63.5%).
8. The high-tech sector employs fewer Black Americans (7.4% versus 14.4%), Latinx Americans (8% vs. 13.9%), and women (36% versus 48%) than in other sectors as a whole.

Diversity in Tech Stats on Race and Ethics

1. 62% of the Labor Force in the Tech Sector Comprises White People.

Comparatively, Asian Americans make up 20% of the technology workforce, Latinx Americans make up 8% of IT jobs, and Black Americans make up 7% of the Tech workforce.

(Source: Zippia)

2. White Job Applicants Were Offered an Average Pay of $144,000. In contrast, Black Job Applicants Receive an Ultimate Salary Offer of $134,000 for the Same Position.

These salary proposals show a 6.95% wage discrepancy favoring white employees. In contrast, after discussions, Asian American job applicants in the computer sector were frequently given a $145,000 salary.

(Source: Zippia)

3. In 2020, Less Than 5% of Black Employees Worked for 67% of Tech Companies.

Small I.T. companies have yet to follow through on their many commitments to help change these alarming numbers. For instance, Facebook has made minimal improvement since 2014, from 2% of Black employees to 3.8% in 2019.

(Sources: Beam Jobs, Zippia)

4. Apple's White I.T. Workers are Only 42.6%.

Apple, a leading global technology company known for its cutting-edge products and technology, has long understood the value of tolerance and diversity in fostering innovation. The company has historically worked to ensure that its workforce represents the variety of its broad base of international customers because it is deeply dedicated to promoting an environment of equality.

Apple disclosed the makeup of its personnel in its most recent report in 2021. It showed that the company has 41.2% Asian employees, 7.8% Hispanic or Latino employees, 5.5% Blacks, 2.4% multiracial, and 0.5% Native American staff.

(Source: Pew Research Center)

Gender Diversity: Statistics on the Low Percentage of Women in Technology

Women want to work, as seen by their national labor force participation rate, which is projected to be 56.8% in 2022. But the number of women working in technology is dropping due to the difficulties they continue to encounter.

5. Women Candidates Receive Fewer Callbacks Than Men Do.

According to a 2019 study, women are typically 30% less likely to be contacted for a follow-up job interview than men. This pattern demonstrates how difficult it is for women to get noticed by tech recruiters, even when they meet all the qualifications for the position.

(Source: PHYS)

6. Men Hold a Staggering 73.3% of Tech Jobs.

This stat shows that women hold only 26.7% of IT jobs. Additionally, women who succeed in the predominately male technology fields frequently receive lesser pay for comparable labor. For instance, A Silicon Valley guy will typically earn 61% more money than a Silicon Valley woman.

(Source: Bloomberg)

7. Men Hold 79% of Executive Tech Roles in Terms of Leadership.

In the tech sector, women occupy (32%) of director positions, (28%) of supervising functions, and 32% of individual contributor roles.

(Source: Zippia)

8. Lack of Mentors is the Leading Cause of Women's Underrepresentation in the Tech Industry.

Five hundred people were interviewed for this study, and the most relevant viewpoints were collated. Some of the other factors mentioned in the survey include insufficient female role models in the profession (42%), bias against women in the workplace (39%), unequal growth chances in comparison to men (36%), and differential compensation for the same talents (35%).

(Source: Adeva)

9. 59% of the Time, Men Were Paid More Than Their Female Peers in Similar Positions.

The study was carried out using a portal for job searching that focuses on placing people in tech-related positions. It was discovered that men were typically paid 3% more than women, while regional differences also existed. Men generally are paid 5% more than women in the same position in the San Francisco Bay area, and this difference might be 7% in New York. In addition, only 5% of American tech startups are owned by women.

(Source: Zippia)

10. Women Hold Only 5% of the Top Positions in the Tech Industry.

Females own just 5% of all IT firms in the US.

(Source: Exploding Topics)

11. Women from Marginalized Groups Struggle to Enter Roles in the Computing Industry.

Females held 25% of computing-related jobs between 2007 and 2020, while white women comprised 13% of this group. Women of Asian and Pacific Island descent comprised 7% of the population, followed by Black women at 3% and Latina and Hispanic women at 2%. These discrepant figures show that women from underrepresented groups frequently face discrimination based on both race and gender, which creates further barriers in the way of their careers in technology.

(Source: Built-In)

12. The Proportion of Women in STEM Fields is Still Low.

Women comprise only around 27% of the STEM workforce today, although their representation in STEM roles has consistently climbed since 1970 (when they made up only 8% of STEM roles). This increase is positive for aspiring women in tech, but it also demonstrates that there is still much work to be done to ensure that the STEM and tech fields reflect the workforce.

(Sources: Pew Research Center)

13. Women Need to Earn More Degrees in STEM Fields.

Women who graduate from college are overrepresented in certain subjects, such as the social sciences, while only 21% major in computer science, 24% in engineering, and 24% in physics. The result worsens the problem (fewer women in tech) by giving recruiters few female talents.

(Source: Forbes)

Statistics on Obstacles for Women in Technology in the Workplace

After successfully negotiating the recruitment and hiring procedures, women in technology face challenges. In the computer industry, women are occasionally seen as outsiders, affecting their psychological and financial well-being.

14. Women are Still Paid Less Than Male Colleagues in the Workplace.

Women earned 82% of what men did in 2022, a modest 2 percent rise since 2002. This statistic shows that men and women enter diverse industries. However, it may also indicate that women get paid less for work equivalent to their male colleagues. In either case, women's labor is undervalued, and with equitable pay, they might find it easier to stay in sectors like technology.

(Source: International Labor Organization)

15. Black and Hispanic Women in STEM Fields Make the Most Minor Income.

According to a 2021 Pew Research Center survey, Black and Hispanic women in STEM disciplines make the least money overall. Companies are addressing the pay gap between men and women, but some projects may not include women of color. Developing equitable compensation systems that appreciate the contributions of all women in tech requires consideration of race and ethnicity.

(Source: Pew Research Center)

16. Racial and General Color Discrimination Affects Women in The Workplace.

17% of Asian women, 16% of Latina women, and 13% of Black women reported that others make assumptions about their ethnicity or culture. However, only 2% of white women reported having comparable encounters.

(Source: Florin Roebig)

17. Women in the Technology Sector are Likelier to be Laid Off Than Men.

In the technology sector, women are 65% more likely to face job dismissals than their male counterparts, increasing performance pressure. To foster a supportive environment, Women in Tech require more opportunities to build stronger connections with each other and expand their professional networks, especially considering the frequent departure of female peers.

(Source: MSNCB)

Statistics on Technological Diversity Across Time

18. Facebook has Seen an Increase in the Number of Women Working in Tech Over the Past Five Years, Climbing From 15% in 2014 to 23% in 2019.

Facebook's tech workforce shows progress in gender diversity, with women employees rising from 15% in 2014 to 23% in 2019.

(Source: TechTarget)

19. Facebook Increased the Number of Black Women They Hired by 25% During the Past Five Years While Increasing the Number of Black Men They Hired by 10%.

Facebook demonstrates progress in diversity hiring, with a remarkable 25% increase in black female employees and a 10% rise in black male hires over the past five years.

(Source: The Guardian)

20. The Percentage of Black or Latinx Technical Professionals at Google Increased by Less Than 1% Between 2014 and 2019.

Google's diversity progress in 2014-2019: Underwhelming rise of less than 1% for Black or Latinx technical professionals reveals the latest statistics.

(Source: Google)

Major Tech Diversity Statistics Companies

21. At Ten Significant IT Corporations in the United States, the Percentage of Women in Technical Roles Only Increased by 2% Between 2014 and 2019.

Following 2014, some prominent tech firms published their inaugural diversity reports, acknowledging the evident lack of diversity within their organizations. While these reports showed slight improvements, they still indicated modest progress in addressing the issue. Moreover, transgender and nonbinary individuals aren't considered in this data. Of the ten prominent tech firms mentioned, only one included statistics on gender nonbinary representation.

(Source: Tech Funnel)

22. 33.1% of Google's New Hires in 2021 Were Women, While 66.9% Were Men.

In 2021, Google's new hire data demonstrated a gender gap, with 33.1% of hires being women and 66.9% being men, reflecting ongoing diversity challenges in the tech industry.

(Source: Google)

23. The Number of Women Hired by Google has Risen by 1% Over the Previous Year.

Encouraging progress at Google as the company reports a 1% increase in female hires compared to the previous year, reflecting a step towards improved gender diversity in the tech sector.

(Source: The New York Times)

24. 44.5% of Google's New Hires in 2021 Were White.

In 2021, Google made noteworthy strides in hiring, with a 42.8% increase in Asian employees, an 8.8% increase in Black employees, an 8.8% increase in Latinx employees, and a 0.7% increase in Native American workers.

(Source: Google)

25. The Proportion of Workers from Underrepresented Communities (URC) at Apple has Grown 64% Between 2014 and 2020.

This translates to almost 18,000 people finding employment at Apple during the last six years. Approximately half of Apple's workforce today consists of people from underrepresented communities.

(Source: Apple)

26. Only 3.9% of Facebook Employees Were Expected to be Black in 2020.

Facebook had 6.3% Latinx employees, 44.4% Asian Americans, and 41% white employees in 2020.

(Source: The Guardian)

27. 4.9% of Microsoft Workers in the US Were Black or African Americans in 2020.

Microsoft's workforce comprised 6.6% Latinx, 0.7% Native American, 34.7% Asian, and 53.1% white.

(Source: Microsoft)

Vital Facts About Diversity in High Tech

The tech sector needs more diversity. Regarding employment and pay offers, big tech heavily favors white and Asian guys. Since the beginning of the IT industry, this has been a prevalent problem.

In 2014, several prominent tech companies acknowledged the lack of diversity within their teams and committed to addressing the issue. To showcase their progress to the public, these companies have been releasing annual diversity reports since then.

During the past six years, many businesses in the tech sector have not fully lived up to their commitments toward greater inclusion. While there have been some positive advancements, the pace of diversity in large tech companies could be accelerated for more substantial progress.

28. Diversity Still Needs to be Solved in the Tech Sector.

Most employees are still White men, even though significant tech businesses have just released diversity reports. Although some positive progress has been observed in the past five years, most of the largest and most influential digital companies have only managed to improve their diversity statistics by one or two percentage points.

Many tech organizations view Diversity studies' outcomes as formalities and rarely take proactive measures to enhance diversity. This highlights the challenges faced by diversity movements in the high-tech industry.

(Source: Better Up)

29. Diversity in Tech is Significant.

It's essential in all aspects of life, inclusivity, and the environment as a whole diversity in IT is necessary. Creating a team almost wholly comprised of individuals from the same gender and racial or ethnic group is restrictive. The team's viewpoints are constrained, which hinders the advancement of the tech sector as a whole.

(Source: Towards Data Science)

30. Diversity in the Tech Sector is Worse Than in Other Sectors.

Regarding diversity, the tech sector needs to catch up to other industries. Of all the STEM-focused fields, IT and computer science have the lowest participation rates for women, Black, Latinx, and Native Americans. Even though 57% of American workers are women, women hold 26% of the technological jobs.

Despite accounting for 16% of the population, the 4% of black women in tech face even worse predicaments. These numbers are considerably more dispersed and practically nonexistent when looking at executive and leadership positions. Big Tech is a significant offender in diversity and inclusion, while many other sectors have had less-than-ideal results. In addition, reversing this imbalance will need much effort.

(Source: Zippia)

31. Reason for Lack of Diversity in Tech.

The tech industry requires greater diversity in hiring and more role models for disadvantaged groups to address the current lack of representation. While these are some primary contributing factors, additional elements shape the diverse landscape.

Tech company recruiters often rely on familiar sources where they have previously identified exceptional candidates when searching for new employees. While this approach can be efficient, it becomes problematic when the recruitment pools lack diversity and fail to encompass a wide range of individuals. Tech recruiters must diversify their search to find applicants who may be of a different gender, background, or ethnicity.

The tech sector should push the businesses and schools it uses to hire people to seek a more diverse group. Another significant factor contributing to the lack of diversity in IT is the absence of role models for disadvantaged groups. If there are no role models in the field for them to look up to and model their career choices after, young individuals considering a professional route aren't going to be all that interested in going down that path.

(Source: Pierpoint)

32. Groups are Underrepresented in Technology.

Employees who are Black, Latino and Hispanic, Native American, and female are minorities in the tech industry. White workers make up a staggering 62% of the high-tech workforce, followed by Asian workers (20%), Hispanic and Latino workers (8%), and Black workers (7%). Since Asian Americans only make up 6% of the total US labor force, a 20% representation in the tech sector is high for Asian Americans and isn't considered underrepresentation.

In addition, men control 75% of all IT employment, compared to their representation of 46.8% of the US workforce. In this sector, women only own 5% of businesses and occupy 5% of leadership roles. These differences still exist, and someone must address these, even if major IT companies start seeing them as an issue and working to fix them.

(Source: Best Colleges)

33. Black Americans are Working in High Technology.

In the high-tech industry, 7% of employees are black. The tech sector significantly underrepresents Black Americans, making up only 13% of the US workforce. Moreover, the percentage of Black Americans working at Google, Facebook, and Microsoft is 8.8%, 3.9%, and 4.9%, respectively. Progress has been modest despite these corporations' efforts to diversify their hiring pools: From 2014 to 2019, Google only saw a 1% growth in the proportion of Black and Hispanic or Latino employees.

Over the past five years, Facebook has had a little more success, increasing the proportion of Black women and Black men at work by 25% and 10%, respectively. Black IT professionals also face a wide range of pay disparities; their average negotiated wage is $134,000, compared to $144,000 for white employees and $145,000 for Asian workers.

(Source: SHRM)

Conclusion

Though we discussed diversity and inclusion across all contemporary industries, big tech has just recently begun to take them into account. A study showed that White job applicants in the tech industry often received a wage offer of $144,000. In contrast, Black candidates typically received a compensation offer of $134,000 instead. The vast tech sector has taken steps to address diversity by acknowledging and publicizing the issue. Nonetheless, to achieve significant progress in the right direction, more direct efforts will foster an inclusive workplace.

FAQsWhat are the figures on diversity in the IT sector?

Gender minorities represent 22% of senior tech roles, 6 percentage points lower than the overall number of tech roles. Gender diversity faces challenges, particularly in top leadership positions. The percentage of women in senior roles drops from 1 in 4 to 1 in 5, indicating a significant gender disparity in these leadership positions.

What are the technological demographics?

The average age of an information technology professional is 42 years. White (55.0%) is the most prevalent ethnicity among IT professionals, followed by Hispanic or Latino (15.9%), Asian (12.4%), and Black or African American (10.9%).

What are the five factors that affect demographics?

Demographics are crucial while comprehending and addressing customer needs. Age, sex, income, education, marital status, and mobility are some factors that significantly affect consumer behavior.