Harnham, the global leaders in Data & Analytics recruitment, today released their third annual State of Diversity in Data & Analytics report. The study reveals the successes and failures pertaining to gender and racial diversity and inclusivity across the industry. The data, pulled from Harnham’s annual Salary Survey, was comprised of more than 3000 respondents globally.
Key takeaways from the report include:
- Gender Divide – The number of women in data and analytics roles continues to grow with women holding 27 percent of jobs across the industry. Entry-level roles are dominated by women at nearly 2:1, suggesting this growth will continue.
- Gender Pay Gap – The increase of females in entry-level positions has resulted in a widening pay gap industry wide. On average, male Data & Analytics professionals out-earn females by 17 percent. Surprisingly, the largest pay gap (21 percent) was in Advanced Analytics & Insight, despite having the most female professionals in the industry.
- Racial Minority Divide – While Data & Analytics is more diverse than the country as a whole, the study finds People of Color (POC) remain underrepresented. Of note, Hispanic/Latin professionals make up 6 percent of the industry, while African Americans make up 3 percent. The areas with the least African Americans have the highest entry standards, suggesting the need for increased STEM education.
- Age Divide – 54 percent of the Data & Analytics workforce is under the age of 35, with the highest concentration in Data Science and Data & Technology: areas with the fastest levels of innovation. Professionals over the age of 55 make up just 3 percent of the overall Data & Analytics workforce.
- Leadership Divide – While People of Color combined make up 52 percent of the Data & Analytics industry, they hold just 26 percent of leadership roles. Women, meanwhile, hold 27 percent of leadership roles. Of particular concern is that 13 percent of respondents reported no women on their leadership teams.
- Disability Divide – The survey reports that Data & Analytics professionals with a disability make up just 3.5 percent of the industry. The growth of remote and flexible work in the wake of COVID-19 may open up new accessible opportunities for disabled professionals in the future.
- Benefits Divide – After health benefits, men and women have notable differences in what benefits they desire, particularly in regards to remote work. Women prioritize working from home at #2, while men list remote working at #5. As a result, businesses looking to hire more women will need to consider adding more remote options for their workforces.
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“The Data & Analytics industry continues to be a leader in offering dynamic, diverse and inclusive workforces, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t work to be done,” said David Farmer, founding partner at Harnham. “Solving systematic issues of equality and representation won’t happen overnight, but the data shows continuing gains across the industry. This business shift towards diversity and inclusivity, and increased emphasis on early STEM education bodes well for women and minorities, suggesting an optimistic future.”