Women in Physics and Astronomy, 2005

• The representation of women in physics and astronomy at all levels continues to increase. At the high school level, almost half of physics students are girls (Figure 2), although fewer girls take AP physics in high school. During 2003, women earned 22 % of the bachelor’s degrees in physics and 18% of the PhDs in physics—a record high (Figure 1). In astronomy in 2003, women earned 46 % of bachelor’s degrees and 26% of PhDs (Figure 3). • Astronomy has a much higher representation of women than does physics. Although the percentage of degrees awarded to women in physics continues to increase, physics is not attracting women as quickly as other fields (Figures 7 and 8). • There are 18 physics departments that award at least 40 % of their bachelor's degrees to women (Table 2). There are 10 physics departments that award more than 25 % of their PhDs to women (Table 4). There are also 19 women’s colleges that award at least a bachelor’s degree in physics, although these colleges account for only a small percentage of bachelor’s degrees in physics earned by women (Table 3). • Women are 10 % of the faculty members in degree granting physics departments (Table 6). In stand-alone astronomy departments, the percentage of women faculty members is 14 % (Table 5). In addition, women are better represented at departments that do not grant graduate degrees and in the lower ranks of the faculty