Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering provides statistical information about the participation of these three groups in science and engineering education and employment. Its primary purpose is to serve as a statistical abstract with no endorsement of or recommendations about policies or programs. National Science Foundation reporting on this topic is mandated by the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (Public Law 96-516).

This report highlights key statistics drawn from a variety of data sources. Data and figures in this report are organized into the following topical areas: enrollment, field of degree, employment status, occupation, including academic careers, and disability status. Online, the reader is invited to explore trends in greater depth through detailed data tables and interactive graphics (https://ncses.nsf.gov/wmpd/). Technical notes and related resources are provided to aid in interpreting the data, and report content is available for downloading.

Surveys conducted by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the National Science Foundation provide a large portion of the data used in this report. NCSES has a central role in the collection, interpretation, analysis, and dissemination of objective data on the science and engineering enterprise. (See Note about COVID-19.)

Note about COVID-19 All data in this report were collected pre-pandemic. The next Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering report will be released in 2023. The 2023 report will reflect data collected during the pandemic and will include questions about its impact on scientists and engineers and their work.