The Gender Gap in Tenure Rates Has Narrowed But Remains Wide

According to data from the U.S. Department of Education, in the 1993-94 academic year, 56.2 percent of all full-time faculty at degree-granting educational institutions held tenure. By the 2009-10 academic year, this figure had dropped to 48.7 percent.

The gender gap in tenure rates has narrowed but still remains large. In 1993-94, 42.7 percent of women full-time faculty held tenure compared to 62.6 percent of men. By 2009-10, 40.6 percent of women held tenure, whereas tenure was held by 54.5 percent of men.

At the rank of full professor in 1993-94, 92.8 percent of men held tenure compared to 87.7 percent of women. Now the gap has nearly closed. In 2009-10, 90.7 percent of men and 89.3 percent of women held tenure.