Last Updated: March 20, 2026

85+ Women in Manufacturing Statistics for 2025-2026

Women make up 28.7% of the US manufacturing workforce as of February 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's roughly 3.6 million women building everything from medical devices to automobiles. While the number has grown steadily over the past decade, women remain significantly underrepresented compared to their 50.1% share of total nonfarm employment.

We compiled over 85 data points from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau, the Women in Manufacturing Association (WiM), Deloitte, McKinsey, the National Association of Manufacturers, IndustryWeek, and other authoritative sources. Every statistic links to its original source so you can verify, cite, or use the data in your own workforce planning and diversity initiatives.

1. Women in Manufacturing Workforce Overview

The manufacturing sector employs approximately 12.6 million workers in the United States. Women hold just under 29% of those positions. Here's a snapshot of where things stand today.

• ● Women represent 28.7% of all manufacturing employees, compared to 50.1% of total nonfarm payroll employment. (BLS, March 2026)
• ● In durable goods manufacturing, women hold 24.2% of jobs (1,889,000 workers). (BLS, February 2026)
• ● In nondurable goods manufacturing, women hold 36.0% of jobs (1,718,000 workers). (BLS, February 2026)
• ● Women made up about 47% of the overall American workforce but only 30% of the manufacturing workforce as of 2019 Census data. (US Census Bureau, 2022)
• ● Only 1 in 3 manufacturing professionals are women, according to a benchmark survey of 465 industry professionals. (WiM/Thomas, 2020)
• ● Manufacturing employment surpassed pre-pandemic levels to reach close to 13 million as of January 2024. (Deloitte/Manufacturing Institute, 2024)
• ● An estimated 1.9 million manufacturing jobs could go unfilled by 2033 due to workforce shortages, making women's participation even more critical. (Deloitte/Manufacturing Institute, 2024)

2. Employment Trends and Historical Data

Women's participation in manufacturing has shifted significantly over the decades. While total numbers have declined from mid-20th century peaks alongside overall manufacturing employment, the percentage of women has been gradually climbing in recent years.

• ● In 1964, manufacturing was the top industry employing women in the US. Today it ranks well behind education and health services, retail, and professional services. (Eye On Housing, 2026)
• ● Between February 2025 and February 2026, the number of women in manufacturing declined by 57,000 (from 3,664,000 to 3,607,000). (BLS, March 2026)
• ● The Census Bureau found that more women entered manufacturing jobs across every age group between 2010 and 2019. (US Census Bureau, 2022)
• ● Women now represent nearly 47% of the total US labor force as of 2025. Their manufacturing share of 28.7% still trails significantly. (BLS, 2025)
• ● Private education and health services employ 21.2 million women (76.6% of sector), compared to manufacturing's 3.6 million (28.7%). (BLS, February 2026)

3. Women by Manufacturing Subsector

Women's representation varies dramatically across manufacturing subsectors. Nondurable goods like food, textiles, and pharmaceuticals tend to employ higher percentages of women, while durable goods sectors like metals, machinery, and transportation equipment skew heavily male.

• ● Medical/healthcare manufacturing has the highest female representation at 54%, making it the only manufacturing subsector where women are the majority. (WiM/Thomas, 2020)
• ● Nondurable goods manufacturing employs women at nearly 50% higher rates than durable goods (36.0% vs 24.2%). (BLS, February 2026)
• ● Aerospace and defense has the lowest female workforce share at 24% among major manufacturing subsectors. (WiM/Thomas, 2020)
• ● In high-income economies, women are more likely to work in non-tradable sectors like healthcare and education than in manufacturing. (World Economic Forum, 2025)

4. Women in Manufacturing Leadership

The leadership gap in manufacturing is even wider than the overall employment gap. Women hold roughly a quarter of manufacturing leadership positions, and the numbers drop further at the C-suite level.

• ● Only 27% of women in manufacturing feel strongly about their personal career advancement opportunities, compared to 40% of men. (WiM/Thomas, 2020)
• ● 65% of women report their company values their contributions, compared to 77% of men. (WiM/Thomas, 2020)
• ● Across all industries, the C-suite gender gap widened to 15 percentage points in 2025, up from 6 points in 2023. (McKinsey Women in the Workplace, 2025)
• ● In healthcare and social assistance, 58.5% of senior leadership roles are held by women. Manufacturing lags far behind this benchmark. (High5 Leadership Statistics, 2026)
• ● 62% of female respondents agree that women have made significant progress in manufacturing over the last 5 years. (WiM/Thomas, 2020)

5. Gender Pay Gap in Manufacturing

The gender wage gap in manufacturing persists, with women earning significantly less than their male counterparts. The gap is wider in manufacturing than in many other sectors, particularly at senior levels.

• ● The $49,144 gender wage gap in manufacturing was revealed by IndustryWeek's 2024 salary survey, with women earning about 17% less than men. (Advanced Manufacturing, 2025)
• ● Across all US industries, women earned 84 cents for every dollar earned by men in 2024, a gap that has remained largely stable for two decades. (Pew Research Center, 2025)
• ● For workers ages 25 to 34, the gender pay gap has narrowed significantly. The 5-cent gap in 2024 was down from a 26-cent gap in earlier decades. (Pew Research Center, 2025)
• ● When controlling for same job and qualifications, the pay gap narrows. Women earned $0.99 for every $1.00 men earned in controlled comparisons, down from near-parity in previous years. (IWPR, 2024)
• ● Manufacturing wages overall saw a 13% increase in 2025, but the gap between men and women persisted across all experience levels. (Advanced Manufacturing, 2025)

6. Education, STEM, and Skills

Every woman entering a STEM program is a potential future manufacturing leader. Women's growing presence in STEM education is a pipeline that could reshape manufacturing's gender balance over the coming decade. However, the path from STEM degree to manufacturing floor or engineering role isn't always straightforward.

• ● Women earn approximately 58% of all bachelor's degrees and 63% of master's degrees in the United States. (ThinkImpact, 2026)
• ● Despite earning the majority of college degrees, women remain underrepresented in engineering and computer science, fields that feed directly into manufacturing roles. (BLS, 2025)
• ● 27% of respondents say mentorships are the most helpful solution to advancing women in manufacturing, making it the top recommended approach. (WiM/Thomas, 2020)
• ● 43% of women in manufacturing report having a mentor, compared to only 29% of men. (WiM/Thomas, 2020)
• ● 31% of respondents say professional associations are the most helpful resource for women in manufacturing. (WiM/Thomas, 2020)
• ● The AAUW's "Factory Flaw" report found that women in manufacturing face unique barriers related to workplace culture, harassment, and lack of flexible scheduling that limit both recruitment and retention. (AAUW, 2021)

7. Retention and Attrition

Keeping women in manufacturing is as important as recruiting them. The sector faces unique retention challenges that disproportionately affect female workers.

• ● 93% of female manufacturing workers say on-site child care is a benefit they want, making it by far the most requested workplace benefit. (WiM/Thomas, 2020)
• ● 74% of manufacturing companies offer paid maternity leave. However, 26% of women still identify it as a benefit they want but don't have. (WiM/Thomas, 2020)
• ● 48% of respondents report they are not aware of or do not have a diversity and inclusion program at their company. (WiM/Thomas, 2020)
• ● Women in manufacturing report significant mental and physical health challenges exacerbated by high stress levels and extensive working hours. (Deloitte Women @ Work, 2025)
• ● With 1.9 million manufacturing jobs potentially going unfilled by 2033, retaining women workers is critical to addressing the talent shortage. (Deloitte, 2024)

8. Workplace Experience and Culture

How women experience the manufacturing workplace differs from their male counterparts. Survey data reveals gaps in how valued women feel, their sense of belonging, and their optimism about career progression.

• ● 65% of women in manufacturing say their company values their contributions, vs. 77% of men. That's a 12-percentage-point gap in perceived value. (WiM/Thomas, 2020)
• ● Only 27% of women feel strongly about their career advancement opportunities in manufacturing, compared to 40% of men. (WiM/Thomas, 2020)
• ● The majority of both men and women in manufacturing are optimistic about the future of women in the sector. (WiM/Thomas, 2020)
• ● Medical/Healthcare and Agriculture sectors reported being the most optimistic about upcoming advancements of women in manufacturing. (WiM/Thomas, 2020)
• ● Mentorship programs are the most popular type of training program offered by manufacturing companies for women's advancement. (WiM/Thomas, 2020)

9. Global Comparisons

The gender gap in manufacturing isn't limited to the US. Globally, women face similar underrepresentation in tradable sectors, with some regional differences worth noting.

• ● Globally, women account for less than 35% of the workforce in supply chains, transportation, and manufacturing. (Advanced Manufacturing, 2026)
• ● In lower-income economies, women are disproportionately employed in manufacturing and agriculture. In high-income economies, they're more concentrated in healthcare and education. (World Economic Forum, 2025)
• ● Only one-third of female workers in high-income economies are employed in tradable sectors like manufacturing, per data from 146 economies. (World Economic Forum, 2025)
• ● The global gender pay gap stood at approximately 16% in 2024, with manufacturing typically showing a wider gap than service industries. (Statista, 2024)

10. Business Impact of Gender Diversity

Closing the gender gap in manufacturing isn't just about fairness. Research consistently shows that companies with greater gender diversity outperform their peers on multiple business metrics. A more diverse workforce improves employee morale and retention, drives innovation in production processes, and strengthens the broader economy.

• ● With 1.9 million manufacturing jobs projected to go unfilled by 2033, tapping into the underrepresented female talent pool is an economic necessity, not just a social goal. (Deloitte, 2024)
• ● Companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are more likely to outperform financially than companies in the bottom quartile. (McKinsey, 2025)
• ● Manufacturing is competing for talent against sectors like education and health services, where women hold 76.6% of jobs and may find more supportive workplace cultures. (BLS, February 2026)
• ● Addressing on-site child care (wanted by 93% of women) and paid leave could significantly improve recruitment and retention of female manufacturing workers. (WiM/Thomas, 2020)

How Manufacturing Compares to Other Industries

To understand where manufacturing stands, it helps to compare women's representation across sectors. The BLS data from February 2026 paints a clear picture.

Manufacturing ranks near the bottom for women's participation, above only transportation and warehousing, construction, and mining. The sector has a long way to go to match the overall private sector average of 48.6%. Encouraging women to join manufacturing positions, and creating supportive environments within manufacturing, is critical for the market opportunity ahead. The Census Bureau's data shows women working in manufacturing have increased across every age group since 2015, which is a positive signal. The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis has also tracked this trend in its economic data. The opportunity for manufacturers who invest in diverse, inclusive workplaces is significant.