Cohort Differences in Occupational Retention among Computer Science Degree Holders: Reassessing the Role of Family

Abstract

Although women’s representation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) employment has increased significantly over the past few decades, their presence remains low in fields like computer science. Using the National Science Foundation’s Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System (SESTAT), this paper assesses the factors shaping employment in STEM and non-STEM occupations among men and women with bachelor’s degrees in computer science. Our results reveal that women with degrees in computer science are far less likely than their male counterparts to be employed in STEM occupations, particularly in computer science jobs. But family factors do not have the expected association with employment in computer science jobs. Men who are parents and childless women are more likely to work in non-STEM jobs versus computer science jobs, relative to childless men. Furthermore, the gender gap in employment in computer science jobs is larger among those graduating in the new millennium, suggesting that other factors are at play.