Research has consistently shown that equitable, diverse and inclusive workplaces are more productive and innovative, and achieve better outcomes.
Studies also show that systemic barriers have a negative effect on the attraction, retention and progression of women in academic and research careers.
The loss of such expertise is a waste of knowledge, skills and investment, and impacts our nation’s research performance and productivity.
To ensure we benefit from our top-quality academic and research talent, we need to ensure gender balance and diversity throughout the academic pipeline.
SAGE considers gender balance to be 40% women, 40% men, 20% people of any gender. Applying a 40:40:20 approach is inclusive of those identifying outside of the gender binary, which is a key principle of Athena Swan. Compared to a 50:50 approach, it also better accommodates minor fluctuations and is more realistic when working with small numbers.
Data from the Department of Education, Skills and Employment show that women continue to be underrepresented at senior levels in every field.
Table: Student completions (in headcount and percentage) and academic staff (in full-time equivalents and percentage) in 2014 and 2019, by level and gender, in the natural and physical sciences. Source: Higher Education Statistics Staff and Student Data, 2014 and 2019.
2019 | 2014 | |||||||||
Academic Level | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total |
Undergraduate | 10,142 | 46% | 11,789 | 54% | 21,931 | 8,672 | 47% | 9,961 | 53% | 18,633 |
Postgraduate | 3,247 | 51% | 3,135 | 49% | 6,382 | 2,308 | 49% | 2,407 | 51% | 4,715 |
Level A | 154 | 47% | 175 | 53% | 329 | 172 | 49% | 177 | 51% | 349 |
Level B | 449 | 50% | 446 | 50% | 895 | 600 | 59% | 425 | 41% | 1,025 |
Level C | 659 | 62% | 404 | 38% | 1,063 | 689 | 64% | 384 | 36% | 1,073 |
Above Level C | 1,362 | 75% | 454 | 25% | 1,816 | 1,308 | 80% | 322 | 20% | 1,630 |
GRAND TOTAL | 16,013 | 49% | 16,403 | 51% | 32,416 | 13,749 | 50% | 13,676 | 50% | 27,425 |
Table: Student completions (in headcount and percentage) and academic staff (in full-time equivalents and percentage) in 2014 and 2019, by level and gender, in information technology. Source: Higher Education Statistics Staff and Student Data, 2014 and 2019.
2019 | 2014 | |||||||||
Academic Level | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total |
Undergraduate | 9,057 | 82% | 1,992 | 18% | 11,049 | 6,001 | 83% | 1,254 | 17% | 7,255 |
Postgraduate | 9,785 | 68% | 4,525 | 32% | 14,310 | 3,734 | 74% | 1,307 | 26% | 5,041 |
Level A | 41 | 55% | 33 | 45% | 74 | 30 | 60% | 20 | 40% | 50 |
Level B | 280 | 71% | 112 | 29% | 392 | 205 | 76% | 66 | 24% | 271 |
Level C | 250 | 80% | 64 | 20% | 314 | 220 | 76% | 71 | 24% | 291 |
Above Level C | 338 | 80% | 84 | 20% | 422 | 230 | 80% | 59 | 20% | 289 |
GRAND TOTAL | 19,751 | 74% | 6,810 | 26% | 26,561 | 10,420 | 79% | 2,777 | 21% | 13,197 |
Table: Student completions (in headcount and percentage) and academic staff (in full-time equivalents and percentage) in 2014 and 2019, by level and gender, in the engineering and related technologies. Source: Higher Education Statistics Staff and Student Data, 2014 and 2019.
2019 | 2014 | |||||||||
Academic Level | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total |
Undergraduate | 12,214 | 82% | 2,602 | 18% | 14,816 | 10,887 | 84% | 2,081 | 16% | 12,968 |
Postgraduate | 8,724 | 79% | 2,344 | 21% | 11,068 | 5,242 | 79% | 1,361 | 21% | 6,603 |
Level A | 86 | 75% | 28 | 25% | 114 | 106 | 77% | 32 | 23% | 138 |
Level B | 305 | 71% | 127 | 29% | 432 | 481 | 81% | 112 | 19% | 593 |
Level C | 532 | 87% | 83 | 13% | 615 | 582 | 87% | 88 | 13% | 670 |
Above Level C | 854 | 88% | 121 | 12% | 975 | 836 | 90% | 97 | 10% | 933 |
GRAND TOTAL | 22,715 | 81% | 5,305 | 19% | 28,020 | 18,134 | 83% | 3,771 | 17% | 21,905 |
Table: Student completions (in headcount and percentage) and academic staff (in full-time equivalents and percentage) in 2014 and 2019, by level and gender, in architecture and building. Source: Higher Education Statistics Staff and Student Data, 2014 and 2019.
2019 | 2014 | |||||||||
Academic Level | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total |
Undergraduate | 2,849 | 54% | 2,468 | 46% | 5,317 | 2,520 | 59% | 1,748 | 41% | 4,268 |
Postgraduate | 1,953 | 51% | 1,901 | 49% | 3,854 | 1,430 | 55% | 1,186 | 45% | 2,616 |
Level A | 25 | 52% | 23 | 48% | 48 | 17 | 59% | 12 | 41% | 29 |
Level B | 129 | 54% | 110 | 46% | 239 | 106 | 56% | 84 | 44% | 190 |
Level C | 131 | 58% | 93 | 42% | 224 | 122 | 63% | 72 | 37% | 194 |
Above Level C | 109 | 62% | 68 | 38% | 177 | 111 | 73% | 42 | 27% | 153 |
GRAND TOTAL | 5,196 | 53% | 4,663 | 47% | 9,859 | 4,306 | 58% | 3,144 | 42% | 7,450 |
Table: Student completions (in headcount and percentage) and academic staff (in full-time equivalents and percentage) in 2014 and 2019, by level and gender, in agriculture environmental and related studies. Source: Higher Education Statistics Staff and Student Data, 2014 and 2019.
2019 | 2014 | |||||||||
Academic Level | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total |
Undergraduate | 1,080 | 45% | 1,313 | 55% | 2,393 | 1,202 | 47% | 1,361 | 53% | 2,563 |
Postgraduate | 870 | 46% | 1,011 | 54% | 1,881 | 806 | 47% | 891 | 53% | 1,697 |
Level A | 11 | 50% | 11 | 50% | 22 | 26 | 47% | 29 | 53% | 55 |
Level B | 47 | 46% | 55 | 54% | 102 | 84 | 55% | 69 | 45% | 153 |
Level C | 91 | 56% | 71 | 44% | 162 | 131 | 74% | 47 | 26% | 178 |
Above Level C | 194 | 77% | 58 | 23% | 252 | 187 | 82% | 42 | 18% | 229 |
GRAND TOTAL | 2,293 | 48% | 2,519 | 52% | 4,812 | 2,436 | 50% | 2,439 | 50% | 4,875 |
Table: Student completions (in headcount and percentage) and academic staff (in full-time equivalents and percentage) in 2014 and 2019, by level and gender, in health. Source: Higher Education Statistics Staff and Student Data, 2014 and 2019.
2019 | 2014 | |||||||||
Academic Level | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total |
Undergraduate | 9,353 | 24% | 29,792 | 76% | 39,145 | 8,084 | 26% | 22,699 | 74% | 30,783 |
Postgraduate | 6,609 | 26% | 18,538 | 74% | 25,147 | 4,635 | 27% | 12,306 | 73% | 16,941 |
Level A | 93 | 23% | 315 | 77% | 408 | 135 | 27% | 366 | 73% | 501 |
Level B | 510 | 26% | 1,421 | 74% | 1,931 | 529 | 28% | 1,384 | 72% | 1,913 |
Level C | 545 | 40% | 827 | 60% | 1,372 | 609 | 45% | 755 | 55% | 1,364 |
Above Level C | 880 | 55% | 715 | 45% | 1,595 | 1,004 | 61% | 642 | 39% | 1,646 |
GRAND TOTAL | 17,990 | 26% | 51,608 | 74% | 69,598 | 14,996 | 28% | 38,152 | 72% | 53,148 |
Table: Student completions (in headcount and percentage) and academic staff (in full-time equivalents and percentage) in 2014 and 2019, by level and gender, in education. Source: Higher Education Statistics Staff and Student Data, 2014 and 2019.
2019 | 2014 | |||||||||
Academic Level | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total |
Undergraduate | 2,828 | 23% | 9,488 | 77% | 12,316 | 2,552 | 19% | 10,736 | 81% | 13,288 |
Postgraduate | 4,059 | 27% | 11,064 | 73% | 15,123 | 5,227 | 28% | 13,540 | 72% | 18,767 |
Level A | 21 | 21% | 79 | 79% | 100 | 26 | 25% | 78 | 75% | 104 |
Level B | 208 | 28% | 531 | 72% | 739 | 262 | 29% | 653 | 71% | 915 |
Level C | 175 | 32% | 367 | 68% | 542 | 194 | 35% | 362 | 65% | 556 |
Above Level C | 169 | 38% | 272 | 62% | 441 | 180 | 44% | 233 | 56% | 413 |
GRAND TOTAL | 7,460 | 25% | 21,801 | 75% | 29,261 | 8,441 | 25% | 25,602 | 75% | 34,043 |
Table: Student completions (in headcount and percentage) and academic staff (in full-time equivalents and percentage) in 2014 and 2019, by level and gender, in management and commerce. Source: Higher Education Statistics Staff and Student Data, 2014 and 2019.
2019 | 2014 | |||||||||
Academic Level | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total |
Undergraduate | 30,212 | 48% | 32,539 | 52% | 62,751 | 27,404 | 47% | 31,282 | 53% | 58,686 |
Postgraduate | 24,645 | 48% | 26,371 | 52% | 51,016 | 19,805 | 51% | 18,791 | 49% | 38,596 |
Level A | 132 | 52% | 120 | 48% | 252 | 102 | 46% | 119 | 54% | 221 |
Level B | 653 | 52% | 595 | 48% | 1,248 | 696 | 55% | 569 | 45% | 1,265 |
Level C | 680 | 61% | 429 | 39% | 1,109 | 598 | 63% | 351 | 37% | 949 |
Above Level C | 734 | 67% | 361 | 33% | 1,095 | 668 | 71% | 277 | 29% | 945 |
GRAND TOTAL | 57,056 | 49% | 60,415 | 51% | 117,471 | 49,273 | 49% | 51,389 | 51% | 100,662 |
Table: Student completions (in headcount and percentage) and academic staff (in full-time equivalents and percentage) in 2014 and 2019, by level and gender, in Society and Culture. Source: Higher Education Statistics Staff and Student Data, 2014 and 2019.
2019 | 2014 | |||||||||
Academic Level | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total |
Undergraduate | 14,678 | 34% | 28,577 | 66% | 43,255 | 13,747 | 35% | 25,893 | 65% | 39,640 |
Postgraduate | 9,727 | 35% | 18,382 | 65% | 28,109 | 9,331 | 38% | 15,508 | 62% | 24,839 |
Level A | 179 | 40% | 268 | 60% | 447 | 213 | 40% | 315 | 60% | 528 |
Level B | 886 | 44% | 1,135 | 56% | 2,021 | 1,011 | 46% | 1,171 | 54% | 2,182 |
Level C | 894 | 48% | 977 | 52% | 1,871 | 854 | 52% | 786 | 48% | 1,640 |
Above Level C | 1,297 | 58% | 954 | 42% | 2,251 | 1,160 | 63% | 692 | 37% | 1,852 |
GRAND TOTAL | 27,661 | 35% | 50,293 | 65% | 77,954 | 26,316 | 37% | 44,365 | 63% | 70,681 |
Table: Student completions (in headcount and percentage) and academic staff (in full-time equivalents and percentage) in 2014 and 2019, by level and gender, in the creative arts. Source: Higher Education Statistics Staff and Student Data, 2014 and 2019.
2019 | 2014 | |||||||||
Academic Level | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total |
Undergraduate | 7,033 | 37% | 11,909 | 63% | 18,942 | 6,489 | 38% | 10,701 | 62% | 17,190 |
Postgraduate | 1,254 | 29% | 3,121 | 71% | 4,375 | 1,279 | 33% | 2,637 | 67% | 3,916 |
Level A | 96 | 45% | 115 | 55% | 211 | 105 | 46% | 124 | 54% | 229 |
Level B | 427 | 50% | 432 | 50% | 859 | 463 | 50% | 470 | 50% | 933 |
Level C | 314 | 50% | 320 | 50% | 634 | 348 | 52% | 316 | 48% | 664 |
Above Level C | 246 | 54% | 206 | 46% | 452 | 255 | 58% | 186 | 42% | 441 |
GRAND TOTAL | 9,370 | 37% | 16,103 | 63% | 25,473 | 8,939 | 38% | 14,434 | 62% | 23,373 |
Table: Student completions (in headcount and percentage) and academic staff (in full-time equivalents and percentage) in 2014 and 2019, by level and gender, in STEMM disciplines. Source: Higher Education Statistics Staff and Student Data, 2014 and 2019.
2019 | 2014 | |||||||||
Academic Level | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total |
Undergraduate | 44,695 | 47% | 49,956 | 53% | 94,651 | 37,366 | 49% | 39,104 | 51% | 76,470 |
Postgraduate | 31,188 | 50% | 31,454 | 50% | 62,642 | 18,155 | 48% | 19,458 | 52% | 37,613 |
Level A | 410 | 41% | 585 | 59% | 995 | 486 | 43% | 636 | 57% | 1,122 |
Level B | 1,720 | 43% | 2,271 | 57% | 3,991 | 2,005 | 48% | 2,140 | 52% | 4,145 |
Level C | 2,208 | 59% | 1,542 | 41% | 3,750 | 2,353 | 62% | 1,417 | 38% | 3,770 |
Above Level C | 3,737 | 71% | 1,500 | 29% | 5,237 | 3,676 | 75% | 1,204 | 25% | 4,880 |
GRAND TOTAL | 83,958 | 49% | 87,308 | 51% | 171,266 | 64,041 | 50% | 63,959 | 50% | 128,000 |
Table: Student completions (in headcount and percentage) and academic staff (in full-time equivalents and percentage) in 2014 and 2019, by level and gender, in STEM disciplines. Source: Higher Education Statistics Staff and Student Data, 2014 and 2019.
2019 | 2014 | |||||||||
Academic Level | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total | Male | M % | Female | F% | Total |
Undergraduate | 35,342 | 64% | 20,164 | 36% | 55,506 | 29,282 | 64% | 16,405 | 36% | 45,687 |
Postgraduate | 24,579 | 66% | 12,916 | 34% | 37,495 | 13,520 | 65% | 7,152 | 35% | 20,672 |
Level A | 317 | 54% | 270 | 46% | 587 | 351 | 57% | 270 | 43% | 621 |
Level B | 1,210 | 59% | 850 | 41% | 2,060 | 1,476 | 66% | 756 | 34% | 2,232 |
Level C | 1,663 | 70% | 715 | 30% | 2,378 | 1,744 | 72% | 662 | 28% | 2,406 |
Above Level C | 2,857 | 78% | 785 | 22% | 3,642 | 2,672 | 83% | 562 | 17% | 3,234 |
GRAND TOTAL | 65,968 | 65% | 35,700 | 35% | 101,668 | 49,045 | 66% | 25,807 | 34% | 74,852 |
Selected notes on the data
The source data for the graphs and tables on this page are publicly available online from the Department of Education, Skills and Employment’s Higher Education Statistics Collections.
If you find an error in our charts or tables, let us know.
Student data
- Gender representation for students were calculated using student completions data from the Department of Education, Skills and Employment uCube. The data extracted were completion count by broad field of education, by broad course level, by year, by gender.
- The Department of Education, Skills and Employment’s count of female students includes students who have requested their gender to be recorded as neither male nor female.
- Discipline areas are based on Field of Education, as defined by the Department of Education, Skills and Employment.
- For the complete data notes, please refer directly to uCube.
Staff data
- Staff data were extracted from “Full-time Equivalence of Staff by Academic Organisational Groups”, Department of Education, Skills and Employment, Staff Time Series. The data were viewed as full-time equivalents by Academic Organisational Unit, by current duties classification, by year, by gender. All work contract types (full-time and fractional full-time) and current duties terms (tenurial term, limited term, other term) were included.
- Discipline areas are based on Academic Organisational Unit Groups, as defined by the Department of Education, Skills and Employment.
- As these charts were based on Academic Organisational Units (AOU) staff data, only staff with “teaching only” or a “teaching and research” function are included.
- For the complete data notes, please refer to “Definitions and Notes” for the Department of Education, Skills and Employment, Staff Time Series.
Version history
- All scissor graphs and tables were first published on this page on 25 May 2021.
- Prior to 25 May 2021, this page contained scissor graphs of gender distribution by academic discipline in 2014. Please note that the pre-May 2021 graphs were based on a different 2014 data set obtained by request from the Department of Education and Training, and are not identical to the 2014 data nor comparable to the 2019 data shown here.
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