Difference between revisions of "Undergraduate participation data"

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==General==
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Since 1990 females have only constituted between 30 and 32 percent of undergraduate economic majors (except between 2001-2003 where the percentage spiked to 35 percent). This imbalance in the undergraduate level, has led to an underrepresentation of women through all levels in the academic economic pipeline. (Siegfried).   
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Since 1980, women have received only about 30% of Bachelor's degrees in Economics, and the percentage of Bachelor's degrees in Economics awarded to racial minorities has hovered around 12% since 1996. These imbalances at the undergraduate level contribute to the underrepresentation of women and minorities at all levels of the academic economics pipeline.   
  
In comparison, since 1995 the percentage of women in undergraduate engineering has hovered near 20% (Cosentino, Horting) and in political science, since 1990, women have constituted between 43 and 50 percent of undergraduate majors (Brandes, Buker, et.al). 
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Strikingly, female, black, and Hispanic students comprise larger percentages of science and engineering majors than they do economics majors.
 
 
It is evident that the underrepresentation of women in Economics is an issue that needs attention.
 
 
 
In terms of race, the percentage of minorities awarded undergraduate degrees in economics has hovered around 12 -13 percent since 1996. Since 2002, the total percentage of minorities awarded undergraduate degrees in science and engineering has hovered around 17 percent and for social sciences as a whole, 19.5 percent. The fact that minority students comprise a larger percentage of science and engineering majors (fields that are typically criticized due to the lack of minority representation) than they do economics majors is alarming.
 
 
 
'''Secondary Sources'''
 
 
 
http://www.cswep.org/newsletters/CSWEP_nsltr_Winter2007.pdf
 
 
 
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/Econ/wparchive/workpaper/vu06-w11.pdf
 
 
 
http://www.aeaweb.org/committees/cswep/newsletters/CSWEP_nsltr_Fall_2006.pdf
 
 
 
 
 
http://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/aer.99.2.700
 
  
 
==Race==
 
==Race==
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Throughout the years, an extensive literature concerning underrepresented minorities in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) field has developed. The field of Economics has yet to gain the same level attention, even though significant differences in participation are evident for Black and Hispanic college students.
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In 2011, institutions awarded 5% of Bachelor’s degrees in Economics to Black students and 7% to Hispanic students. In contrast, Black students received 8% of degrees in STEM fields and 10% of degrees in Political Science. Hispanic students received 8% of Bachelor’s degrees in STEM fields and 11% of the Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science.
  
Throughout the years there has been extensive literature concerning underrepresented minorities in the STEM fields, yet the field of Economics has yet to gain the same level attention. Data has shown that underrepresented minorities should have a greater stake in the field of Economics, and the Committee on the Status of Minority Groups in the Economics Profession has attempted to alleviate this issue through its programs. Please click [http://www.aeaweb.org/committees/CSMGEP/index.php here] for more information on CSMGEP.
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[[File:SSRace.png|308px]][[File:EconByRace.png|332px]][[File:STEMRace.png|308px]]
 
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<span style="font-size:80%; ">Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES); Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System(IPEDS) Completions, 1995-2011 (Washington , D.C.: NCES, 2013). Created with data provided by WebCaspar. Includes only U.S. citizens and permanent residents.  
 
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</span>
[[File:EconByRace.png|470px|border|center|Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES); Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System(IPEDS) Completions, 1995-2009 (Washington , D.C.: NCES, 2011). Created by data provided by WebCaspar.]]
 
 
 
 
 
'''Comparison Data:''' Click [[Participation Rates by Race in Economics, the Social Sciences, and STEM fields|here]] to see a comparison of participation rates by race in Economics, the Social Sciences, and STEM fields.
 
  
 
==Gender==
 
==Gender==
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The STEM fields and other social sciences attract many more female majors than does Economics. While women receive only 30% of the undergraduate degrees in Economics, they receive over 50% in both Political Science and STEM.
  
In Economics, women have made great strides in terms of increasing their representation in the field. Although there is still work to be done, especially early on in the pipeline. Attracting a greater percentage of women to the field of economics at the undergraduate level has shown to be crucial in order to have greater representation at the doctorate level. The Committee on the Status of Women in the Economics Profession has, like CSMGEP, brought attention to this issue and has created programs promoting women in economics. For more information on CSWEP please click [http://www.aeaweb.org/committees/cswep/ here]
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Attracting a greater percentage of women to economics at the undergraduate level is crucial to having greater representation at the Ph.D. level. A recent [http://www.aeaweb.org/committees/CSWEP/newsletters/CSWEP_nsltr_SprSum_2013.pdf newsletter] from The Committee on the Status of Women in the Economics Profession ([http://www.aeaweb.org/committees/cswep/ CSWEP]) explores the gender gap in the undergraduate economics.
  
 
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[[File:SSGen.png|285px]][[File:EconByGen.png|320px]][[File:STEMGen.png|275px]]
[[File:EconByGen.png|470px|center|Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES); Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System(IPEDS) Completions, 1995-2009 (Washington , D.C.: NCES, 2011). Created by data provided by WebCaspar.]]
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<span style="font-size:80%; ">Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES); Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System(IPEDS) Completions, 1995-2011 (Washington , D.C.: NCES, 2013). Created with data provided by WebCaspar.
 
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</span>
 
 
'''Comparison Data:''' Click [[Participation Rates by Gender in Economics, the Social Sciences, and STEM fields|here]] to see a comparison of participation rates by gender in Economics, the Social Sciences, and STEM fields
 
  
 
== Time Trends ==
 
== Time Trends ==
 
 
[[File:EconDegYear.png|470px]]
 
[[File:EconDegYear.png|470px]]
[[File:EconDeg%.png|470px]]
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[[File:EconDegnew.png|470px]]
 
 
 
 
 
'''Click on the graphs above to zoom.'''
 
'''Click on the graphs above to zoom.'''
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The plots above show time trends in undergraduate Economics degrees awarded to men and women since 1966. The diagram on the left shows that the number of degrees awarded in the field of Economics has steadily increased, indicating that the field as a whole has attracted more interest. Though the number of women in Economics was increasing faster than the number of men during the 1970s, the trend has reversed in recent years.
  
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The diagram on the right presents historical data analogous to the pie chart above, reporting the percentage of Economics Bachelor's degrees received by women for each year since 1966. The percentage has not changed very much since the 1980s, hovering around the 30% mark.
  
'''Summary:''' The scatterplot above shows a time trend in Economics degrees awarded to men and women. The number of degrees awarded in the field of Economics has steadily increased, which is a sign that the field has attracted more interest. The data also demonstrates that the gap between degrees awarded to men and women in Economics is steadily becoming smaller, although there are still improvements to be made.
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<span style="font-size:80%; ">Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES); Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System(IPEDS) Completions, 1995-2011 (Washington , D.C.: NCES, 2013). Created with data provided by WebCaspar.
 
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</span>
 
 
[[Media:CHAS_Wiki_97-2003.xls|Click here]] to download a basic database of Economics degrees earned by Gender from 1966-2009.
 
 
 
  
'''Source:''' U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES); Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System(IPEDS) Completions, 1995-2009 (Washington , D.C.: NCES, 2011). Created by data provided by WebCaspar
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'''See more [[Participation data]].'''

Latest revision as of 11:05, 2 January 2014

Since 1980, women have received only about 30% of Bachelor's degrees in Economics, and the percentage of Bachelor's degrees in Economics awarded to racial minorities has hovered around 12% since 1996. These imbalances at the undergraduate level contribute to the underrepresentation of women and minorities at all levels of the academic economics pipeline.

Strikingly, female, black, and Hispanic students comprise larger percentages of science and engineering majors than they do economics majors.

Race

Throughout the years, an extensive literature concerning underrepresented minorities in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) field has developed. The field of Economics has yet to gain the same level attention, even though significant differences in participation are evident for Black and Hispanic college students.

In 2011, institutions awarded 5% of Bachelor’s degrees in Economics to Black students and 7% to Hispanic students. In contrast, Black students received 8% of degrees in STEM fields and 10% of degrees in Political Science. Hispanic students received 8% of Bachelor’s degrees in STEM fields and 11% of the Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science.

SSRace.pngEconByRace.pngSTEMRace.png Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES); Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System(IPEDS) Completions, 1995-2011 (Washington , D.C.: NCES, 2013). Created with data provided by WebCaspar. Includes only U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

Gender

The STEM fields and other social sciences attract many more female majors than does Economics. While women receive only 30% of the undergraduate degrees in Economics, they receive over 50% in both Political Science and STEM.

Attracting a greater percentage of women to economics at the undergraduate level is crucial to having greater representation at the Ph.D. level. A recent newsletter from The Committee on the Status of Women in the Economics Profession (CSWEP) explores the gender gap in the undergraduate economics.

SSGen.pngEconByGen.pngSTEMGen.png Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES); Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System(IPEDS) Completions, 1995-2011 (Washington , D.C.: NCES, 2013). Created with data provided by WebCaspar.

Time Trends

EconDegYear.png EconDegnew.png Click on the graphs above to zoom.

The plots above show time trends in undergraduate Economics degrees awarded to men and women since 1966. The diagram on the left shows that the number of degrees awarded in the field of Economics has steadily increased, indicating that the field as a whole has attracted more interest. Though the number of women in Economics was increasing faster than the number of men during the 1970s, the trend has reversed in recent years.

The diagram on the right presents historical data analogous to the pie chart above, reporting the percentage of Economics Bachelor's degrees received by women for each year since 1966. The percentage has not changed very much since the 1980s, hovering around the 30% mark.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES); Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System(IPEDS) Completions, 1995-2011 (Washington , D.C.: NCES, 2013). Created with data provided by WebCaspar.


See more Participation data.