Across the EU, around one in three STEM graduates were women in 2023. But the picture varies widely by country.
Countries approaching parity
While this confirms that STEM education remains male-dominated at EU level, the continental average hides striking national differences. In several European countries, the share of women among STEM graduates is already nearing – or even surpassing – 40%.
Iceland leads with 43.3%, followed by Romania (42.1%), Estonia (41.7%) and Greece (41.1%). Poland (40.2%), Croatia (39.4%) and Italy (39.3%) also stand well above the EU average.
These figures challenge a common assumption: that women naturally avoid technical fields. If some countries can reach near-parity in STEM education, then the gender gap is not inevitable – it is shaped by national contexts, incentives and opportunities.
When STEM means economic security
One important factor may be the role STEM plays in national labour markets. In many European countries, degrees in engineering, ICT or technical sciences are associated with stronger employment prospects than other fields.
OECD data show that employment rates for graduates in engineering and ICT tend to be higher than in many non-technical disciplines, reflecting closer alignment with labour-market demand.
Technical skills are often seen as portable, in-demand and better rewarded – both domestically and internationally. The European Commission, for example, has identified a persistent shortage of ICT specialists and aims to reach 20 million digital professionals by 2030 under its Digital Decade strategy.
This dynamic is not limited to highly industrialised economies. In many transition or developing contexts, technical degrees are frequently viewed as a pathway to upward mobility, access to international labour markets and entry into the global digital economy.
In such environments, young women may be more likely to pursue STEM education because it offers a clear route to economic independence.
Lessons for Europe’s digital future
The contrast is striking. While countries like Romania and Estonia exceed 40% female STEM graduates, others remain below 30%, including Spain (27.2%), Germany (28.1%) and Belgium (28.7%).
As Europe seeks to expand its coding, AI and digital workforce, the lesson is clear: gender balance in tech does not happen automatically. It depends on how education systems connect to real economic opportunities.
Countries where STEM is seen as a reliable pathway to employment appear to draw more women into technical fields. This suggests that improving job prospects, visibility and career pathways in tech could be just as important as changing classroom experiences.
If the goal is a more balanced digital future, Europe may have as much to learn from its quieter leaders as from its policy debates.
Want to support a more inclusive digital pipeline?
- Show girls clear tech career pathways and real-world role models.
- Connect coding activities to real problems and future job opportunities.
- Partner with local industry to make pathways visible and motivating.
