Breaking Barriers: How Community Colleges Are Helping Women Pursue STEM Careers

Thursday, July 13, 2023
Blog
An image of two female students working together on an engineering project

Women still face significant challenges when pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers. The gender gap in STEM careers continues to persist, with women being underrepresented in engineering, computer science, and physical sciences fields. According to the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP), a 2023 STEM Statistics Workforce Report revealed that college-educated women comprise nearly half of the United States workforce but only represent 34% of the science and engineering workforce. Furthermore, as mentioned by the NGCP in the State of Girls and Women in STEM, Black, Latina, and Indigenous women represent less than 10% of the STEM workforce. However, community colleges are playing an increasingly important role for women interested in pursuing STEM careers. Let’s look at how community colleges are helping women overcome these challenges and paving the way toward successful STEM careers.

Access to Cutting-Edge STEM Resources

According to a 2015 report by the National Association of Manufacturing and Deloitte, by 2025, the United States will need to fill 3.5 million STEM jobs. With a focus on delivering world-class education to students, Maricopa Community Colleges invest significantly in state-of-the-art labs, technology, and equipment, allowing students to utilize cutting-edge technology applications in STEM fields. This provides hands-on learning experiences with different concepts and equipment and opens up job opportunities in computer sciences, artificial intelligence and manufacturing, healthcare, physical sciences, and more. 

At our ten colleges, you have access to modern labs, top-of-the-line technology and equipment, expert STEM tutors, and countless scholarship opportunities. Our highly-trained instructors provide small, diverse, interactive classes that foster student-faculty engagement.   

Connect with STEM Role Models

Women pursuing STEM degrees should connect with industry trailblazers to maximize their opportunities and unlock their full potential during and after their education. A study commissioned by CWJobs revealed that a role model had inspired 60% of women in STEM professions. Building a connection with a successful and strong role model can help women envision themselves thriving in the profession.  

Additionally, Maricopa Community Colleges professors and faculty members are great role models for students. Our instructors often work in their respective areas of expertise and are able to guide you to find the path that works best for you. By establishing a positive relationship with professors, you form a lasting relationship that may be beneficial should you need a written recommendation or a professional reference.

Networking

As a STEM major, you can significantly improve your transition from the academic to the professional setting by prioritizing networking early on during your college years. Networking events provide the perfect platform to meet fellow students, faculty members, and STEM industry leaders who can help you transition from your college program to the workforce. It’s a chance to get advice and gain access to job resources. 

The beauty of networking at Maricopa Community Colleges is that students have access to clubs, organizations, and extracurricular activities that open channels to interact and connect with other students with similar interests. By joining a STEM club and organization, you can meet new people, build your resume, and gain valuable networking skills.

Career Opportunities with an Associate’s Degree and Beyond

Taking your education to the next level, from an associate’s degree to a bachelor’s degree or even a graduate degree, certainly increases your potential earnings. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that a two-year associate's degree can earn a median salary of $48,990 as a chemical technician. Another high-wage career requiring only an associate's degree in aerospace engineering and operations technologist and technician has a medium salary of $73,580. The projected growth for these occupations is between 4%-6%, respectively, by 2031.

If you want to work in the computer science or information technology fields, the career outlook remains lucrative for those with a bachelor’s degree in this fast-growing sector.  For example, an information security analyst can earn a salary of $102,600 with projected job growth of 35% by 2031. Requiring a bachelor’s degree in microbiology or a related field such as biology or natural resources, entry-level microbiologists can earn a median salary of $79,260. 

By furthering your computer science education and earning a master’s degree, you could earn $131,490 as a computer and information research scientist. Furthermore, with a doctorate in physics or astronomy, you could make $147,450 as a physicist and astronomer.

The sky’s the limit with endless STEM career possibilities. Learn more about the Maricopa Community Colleges STEM degrees and certificates. 

Maricopa Community Colleges STEM Bachelor’s Degrees

According to the Women in STEM Workforce Index 2020, women earn only 36% of STEM bachelor’s degrees nationally and between 11% and 58% globally. Furthermore, starting salaries for those with bachelor’s degrees are, on average, about $20,000 higher than the average annual salaries for those with associate’s degrees. Maricopa Community Colleges offers accredited bachelor’s degrees in high-demand STEM fields, including:

Earning your bachelor’s degree from one of our colleges will save $7,000 to $10,000 each year compared to a university's average annual tuition cost.

University Transfer Opportunities

If you’re interested in pursuing a STEM bachelor’s degree program not offered at one of our ten colleges, we make your transition from Maricopa Community Colleges to a university seamless. Maricopa Community Colleges has transfer agreements with over forty partner four-year colleges and universities, including Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University, and Grand Canyon University. Learn more about the transfer process.

Become a STEM Mentor

Once you’ve completed your degree and are settled into your career, consider becoming a mentor to other young women pursuing STEM careers. Mentoring is a rewarding and fulfilling experience while helping others who desire a robust support system complete their educational and professional goals. When women professionals mentor students, they pass down their knowledge and expertise in the STEM field and provide guidance that will make girls and young women more confident students. Inquire with your local school district and community college to find out what STEM programs are offered and how you can be more involved. 

Like community colleges across America, Maricopa Community Colleges provides invaluable resources for women seeking to build careers in STEM fields. Not only do community colleges offer students a diverse student population, smaller class sizes, and affordable educational pathways, but they also emphasize the value of building relationships through networking and mentoring. Community colleges are instrumental in removing obstacles and increasing accessibility to cutting-edge STEM education for women.