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Journal Article
Why do some women choose STEM majors?
2025
Overview
Background
Women remain under-represented in high-paying STEM majors. This study seeks to advance understanding of the factors related to students’ decisions to choose STEM majors, with particular attention to gender differences. Prior research has largely examined high school students’ perceptions of math interest and math utility in relation to later STEM enrollment, yielding mixed findings and limited insight into the actual values students consider when selecting a major. This study analyzes college students’ retrospective reflections on their major-selection motivations. This study also examines under-explored factors, such as perceived difficulty of math, exposure to math-teacher gender bias in ninth grade, and use of college career-planning services, while also investigating self-perceptions of math ability to address inconsistencies in previous findings. Using the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, this study compares women in STEM and non-STEM majors and contrasts the factors related to women’s decisions to choose STEM majors with those of men.
Results
Self-perception of high math ability, perceived low difficulty of math, and prioritizing a high-income job predict the decision to choose a STEM major for both women and men. The impact of high-income job potential is stronger for women, while job availability significantly predicts STEM choice only among men. Factors such as exposure to math-teacher gender bias in ninth grade, use of college career-planning services, and reasons for choosing a major—such as enjoying courses in a major, doing well in courses in a major, work–life balance, contribution to society, and job availability—are not associated with STEM major choice for either gender.
Conclusions
These results align with prior research, emphasizing the role of self-confidence in math and the perception of math as a manageable subject in fostering interest in STEM among both women and men. The results also challenge conventional wisdom by revealing that women in STEM value high-income potential as much as—or even more than—men, rather than prioritizing work–life balance or contribution to society in choosing their majors. Future research should longitudinally examine the impact of exposure to math-teacher gender bias and the use of career services on women’s STEM major choices.
