Career patterns of, and opportunities for women in science and engineering : perceptions of women preparing to enter the labor market

It has been suggested that research needs to be done in the area of beliefs of college females about science and engineering careers. However, studies have not been conducted in this area. Thus, the present study begins to address this subject by investigating the perceptions of women preparing to graduate with undergraduate degrees in science and engineering about the current status of salaries and other labor market indicators for women in these fields. Eighty-five women preparing to graduate with degrees in science and engineering responded to a questionnaire concerning their beliefs about salaries, career patterns, and labor market indicators for women in science and engineering professions. Data from the National Science Foundation was used to form the items for the questionnaire. The results indicated that women preparing to receive their undergraduate degrees in science and engineering have an inaccurate perception of what the labor market is actually like. In general, women tend to over-estimate their opportunities. It is recommended that women be educated concerning their opportunities in the science and engineering labor market (during their undergraduate training).