POPULATION
One in Five People in The United States is a Woman of Color 1
Women of color comprised 20.3% of the United States population in 2021, an increase from 18.4% in 2010.2
Women of Color Will Be the Majority of All Women in the United States by 2060 3
| Percentage of Total Women in the US Population (2021)4 | Percentage of Total Women in the US Population (2060)5 | |
| White (not Hispanic or Latina) | 59.2% | 44.3% |
| Hispanic or Latina | 18.5% | 27.0% |
| Black or African American | 13.9% | 15.2% |
| Asian | 6.3% | 9.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native |
1.3% | 1.4% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 0.3% | 0.3% |
EDUCATION
The College Graduation Rate Continues to Rise for Most Women of Color 6
Of total bachelor’s degrees earned by US citizen women and permanent residents in 2019-2020, the percentage of those earned by women of color: 7
- Hispanic women: 16.4%.
- Black women: 11.3%
- AAPI women: 7.9%.
- AIAN women: 0.5%.
Of total bachelor’s degrees in business earned by women in 2019-2020, the percentage of those earned by women of color: 8
- Hispanic women: 14.9%.
- Black women: 11.4%.
- AAPI women: 8.3%.
- AIAN women: 0.5%.
LABOR FORCE
Latinas and Asian Women Will Make Up a Larger Percentage of the US Labor Force Over the Next Decade 9
Between 2021–2031 the projected percentage increase in the labor force of women by race or ethnicity is: 10
- Black women: 9.4%.
- Hispanic women: 26.4%.
- White women: 2.9%.
Percent of women of color among all US management, business, and financial operations employees in 2021:11
- Asian women: 20.0%.
- Black women: 14.5%.
- Hispanic or Latinas: 11.5%.
- White women: 18.0%.
Women of Color are Overrepresented in Frontline Roles12
- Women of color make up 28.8% of the labor force in the hospitality and leisure sector, compared to 9% of White women.
- Women of color make up 31.9% of the labor force working in retail trade, compared to 11.1% of White women.
- Women of color make up 19.8% of the labor force in the manufacturing industry, compared to 6.1% of White women.
Women of Color Have the Highest Rates of Unemployment
The Unemployment rates for Women over 20 in 2022 were:13
- Black women: 5.3%
- Asian women: 2.2%
- Hispanic/Latinas: 3.4%
- White women: 2.6%
By comparison, the unemployment rate for White men was 2.8%14
Women of Color Since the Pandemic
Industries where women of color are overrepresented are still hurting from the pandemic. 15
In the workplace, women of color encounter more acts of aggression than if they had worked remotely:18
At the start of 2022, women of color held 19% of entry-level positions. Few advanced to leadership: Managers (14%), Director/Senior Managers (10%), VP (8%), SVP (6%) and C –suite positions (5%). 23
This can be compared to White women, who hold 29% of entry-level positions, with more advancing to leadership: Manager (27%), Sr. Manager/Director (26%), VP (24%), SVP (23%) and C-suite positions (21%). 24
DEFINITION: The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requires federal agencies to use a minimum of five race categories: White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. Note that Hispanic is defined as an ethnic heritage and people who identify their origin as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish may be any race.25
NOTE: Hispanic or Latino refers to persons of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. 26
How to cite this product: Women of color in the United States: Quick Take. (2023, February 1). Catalyst.
Women of Color Prefer to Work Remotely
LEADERSHIP
From Entry Level Positions to the C-Suite, the Share of Women of Color in Leadership Remains Small22
LEARN MORE
Glynn, S.J. & DeWolf, M. (2022, February 9). Black women’s economic recovery continues to lag. U.S. Department of Labor Blog.