Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Survey: Teen Girls’ Interest in STEM Careers Declines

  • 05/23/19

Colorado Springs, Colo. ­– A new survey by Junior Achievement (JA) conducted by the research group Engine shows that only 9 percent of girls between ages of 13 and 17 are interested in careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). This is down from 11 percent from a similar survey in 2018. Teen boys’ interest in STEM careers increased slightly to 27 percent, up from 24 percent in 2018. The survey of 1,004 teens was conducted from April 16 to 21, 2019.

“The decline of interest in STEM careers is disappointing given how much emphasis is being placed on promoting STEM to girls,” said Jack Kosakowski, President and CEO of Junior Achievement USA. “One element that may need to be emphasized more is ensuring that STEM professionals are serving as role models and working with girls in educational settings as part of these initiatives.”

A 2009 study from MIT indicates that young people are interested in STEM at an early age, but begin to lose interest as they become older due to a lack of interaction with mentors and role models in the STEM fields. A way Junior Achievement is addressing this is by bringing STEM professionals into classrooms to deliver the organization’s career-readiness programs. Research shows that one-in-five Junior Achievement alumni eventually work in the same field as their JA volunteer.

Other findings from the survey include:

  • 85 percent of teens say they know what kind of job they want after graduation, down slightly from 88 percent in 2018.
  • While girls’ interest in STEM careers like engineering, robotics and computer science declined, their interest in careers in the medical and dental fields increased to 25 percent, up from 19 percent in 2018.
  • Half of all teens (51%) expect to work this summer. However, more than two-thirds of 16- and 17-year-olds (69%) expect to have a summer job.
  • Top summer jobs include retail (26%) and food service (26%). These are followed by outdoor work (17%) and babysitting/child care (14%). Very few (5%) anticipate working in an office over the summer.

Junior Achievement delivers programs focused on promoting work-readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy to students in grades K through 12. JA’s programs help teens better understand the connection between what they learn in school and how it will apply toward their future career goals.

Methodology

This report presents the findings of a Youth CARAVAN survey conducted by Engine among a sample of 1,004 13-17-year olds, comprising of 502 males and 502 females.  This survey was live on April 16-21, 2019. 

Featured

  • Esports are Growing in Popularity

    Video games and esports are a popular social hobby, and it’s one that’s accessible to a wide variety of physical ability levels. Some esport student-athletes have started to earn scholarship opportunities, and high schools are beginning to form teams equipped with the same degree of resources as their physical sports teams. However, the two have very different needs.

  • Phoenix High School Completes First Phase of Campus Renovations

    Metro Tech High School, part of the Phoenix Union High School District (PXU) in Phoenix, Ariz., recently announced the completion of the first stage of a campus renovation project, according to a news release. The school reopened a series of public-facing business operations spaces including credit union, daycare, floral, cosmetology, and culinary services. It also includes new CTE learning spaces for the school’s nursing assistant, pharmacy, and sports medicine programs.

  • University of Rochester to Break Ground on New Student Life Center

    The University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y., recently began construction on a new Student Life building, according to a news release. The first floor will contain campus-wide gathering, program, and rehearsal space; the second floor will play home to the Greenbaum Center for Jewish Life.

  • DLR Group Announces New Mid-Atlantic Higher Education Leader

    Integrated design firm DLR Group recently announced that it has promoted Principal Shawn Gaither, AIA, LEED AP, to the role of higher education leader in the Mid-Atlantic, according to a news release. Gaither has served with the firm for more than 20 years, most recently as the national higher education business development leader.