Trends in women engineering programs and degrees: harmony or discord?

It is noted that, during the past two decades, there has been significant but steady growth in the nature and scope of US women in engineering programs and a parallel increase in the number and percent of women enrolled in and graduating from US engineering institutions. The authors attempt to assess changes in women in engineering programs, to study changes in enrollments and degrees awarded to women in engineering, and to search for relationships between these two changes. Results of statistical analyses indicate that the mean number of 1987 women in engineering programs per institution, the mean number of women awarded 1990 B.S. engineering degrees per institution, and the mean percent of African American women awarded 1990 B.S. engineering degrees per institution were positively related to the percent of 1990 B.S. engineering degrees awarded to women at US engineering institutions. Recommendations are made for providing a positive environment for women attending engineering institutions across the US