Women of color in the United States (Quick take)

The College Graduation Rate Continues to Rise for Most Women of Color ⁴

Of total bachelor’s degrees earned by US citizen women and permanent residents in 2019-2020, the percentage of those earned by women of color: ⁵

• Hispanic women: 16.4%.
• Black women: 11.3%
• AAPI women: 7.9%.
• AIAN women: 0.5%.

Of total bachelor’s degrees in business earned by women in 2019-2020, the percentage of those earned by women of color: ⁶

• Hispanic women: 14.9%.
• Black women: 11.4%.
• AAPI women: 8.3%.
• AIAN women: 0.5%.

Latinas and Asian Women Will Make Up a Larger Percentage of the US Labor Force Over the Next Decade ⁷

Between 2021–2031 the projected percentage increase in the labor force of women by race or ethnicity is: ⁸

• Black women: 9.4%.
• Hispanic women: 26.4%.
• White women: 2.9%.

Percent of women of color among all US management, business, and financial operations employees in 2021:⁹

• Asian women: 20.0%.
• Black women: 14.5%.
• Hispanic or Latinas: 11.5%.
• White women: 18.0%.

Women of Color are Overrepresented in Frontline Roles¹⁰

• Women of color make up 28.8% of the labor force in the hospitality and leisure sector, compared to 9% of White women.
• Women of color make up 31.9% of the labor force working in retail trade, compared to 11.1% of White women.
• Women of color make up 19.8% of the labor force in the manufacturing industry, compared to 6.1% of White women.

Women of Color Have the Highest Rates of Unemployment

The Unemployment rates for Women over 20 in 2022 were:¹¹

• Black women: 5.3%
• Asian women: 2.2%
• Hispanic/Latinas: 3.4%
• White women: 2.6%

By comparison, the unemployment rate for White men was 2.8%¹¹

Women of Color Since the Pandemic

Industries where women of color are overrepresented are still hurting from the pandemic. ¹²

• The leisure and hospitality sector is still short 5.5% of jobs, compared to its February 2020 level (approximately 932,000 jobs).¹³
• The retail sector is projected to lose almost 4.0% of its 2020 employment total between 2020 and 2030 (approximately 587,000 jobs).¹⁴

Women of Color Prefer to Work Remotely

In the workplace, women of color encounter more acts of aggression than if they had worked remotely:¹⁵

• 81% of women of color in tech report experiencing sexism in the workplace¹⁵
• 90% of women of color in tech report experiencing sexism in the workplace.¹⁵
• 79% of women of color in our survey reported having to alter their appearance or demeanor to fit in at work. ¹⁵

From Entry Level Positions to the C-Suite, the Share of Women of Color in Leadership Remains Small¹⁶

At the start of 2022, women of color held 19% of entry-level positions. Few advanced to leadership: Managers (14%), Director/Senior Managers (10%), VP (8%), SVP (6%) and C –suite positions (5%). ¹⁶

This can be compared to White women, who hold 29% of entry-level positions, with more advancing to

• Missing Pieces Report: The Board Diversity Census of Women and Minorities on Fortune 500 Boards, 6th edition Alliance for Board Diversity/Deloitte
• Black Women Connect Black Women Connect
• Emotional tax: How black women and men pay more at work and how leaders can take action Catalyst
• Flip the script: Race & ethnicity in the workplace Catalyst
• The impact of structural racism on black Americans Catalyst
• Intersectionality: When identities converge Catalyst
• People of colour in Canada: Quick take Catalyst
• Prioritizing equity at a pivotal moment Catalyst
• Women of Color Get Less Support at Work. Here’s How Managers Can Change That Harvard Business Review
• Women Are Advancing in the Workplace, But Women of Color Still Lag Behind

DEFINITION: The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requires federal agencies to use a minimum of five race categories: White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. Note that Hispanic is defined as an ethnic heritage and people who identify their origin as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish may be any race.17

NOTE: Hispanic or Latino refers to persons of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. ¹⁸