Females and Computing Majors in the US: Why is the Choice Still Unappealing?

Abstract

This report examines the motivations and distractors that influence women's decisions to study and pursue careers in computer technology. This is an important aspect of the gender divide that western economies are experiencing in the computing field. Numerous research studies have explored this imbalance in the past, and many of the findings are routinely cited in the literature. However, technology is a field that changes rapidly, and societal acceptance of computers and technology have also evolved. Gen-Z students have grown up with computing technology and their perceptions of it may well be different from those of students a decade or two ago. This paper reports on a study that seeks to measure changes in perceptions over time and which factors seem to hinder. The findings may be helpful for academic departments that are seeking to expand female enrollments in their computing majors.