An article in the New York Times earlier this week gave some interesting statistics on the rise of women in US Academia and employment.  Year on year the number of women graduating from higher education has increased, with them now accounting for 58% of all college undergraduates and 50% of law and medic graduates.  Indeed in 2008 the same trend was seen in the UK and yet both countries are reporting lower proportions of women in business degrees (43% in the US), perhaps backing the theory that the ruthless nature of men makes business more appealing to them.

These figures seem more impressive when you consider that only a few decades ago men outnumbered women in higher education by 2 to 1.

As in the UK, female workers in the US still experience a disparity in earnings of on average 20% less than men.  This discrepancy is apparent the world over, with the Guardian reporting in 2007 that male graduates were paid £1000 more than their female compatriots within the first three years of graduation.
Whilst the statistics show both positives and negatives for women, perhaps the most interesting statistics show the number of women affected by the recession to be far fewer.  When applying for jobs, women tend to take those at an entry level that will see them rise up the ranks.  Men, however, go for the higher paid more lucrative positions, sometimes that are beyond their qualifications.  Because of this many have found themselves within areas of business that have been greatly affected by the economic downturn such as Lehman Brothers.

Of course this is not the only contribution to such figures.  Women are increasingly reported to be turning to online start-ups that allow them to establish a business from home and redress the work life balance.  In comparison men are prevalent in such beleaguered industries as construction and manufacturing.  With numbers of women in business playing catch up, it will be interesting to see how over the coming months and years these statistics will evolve.