Based on Statistics Only 11% of Silicon Valley Executives are Women

Gender inequality in Silicon Valley is no secret. The tech scene is often criticized for its gender gap in pay — research shows that men with graduate or professional degrees earn 73% more than women with the same credentials.

But it extends beyond salary — women are drastically underrepresented in Silicon Valley leadership positions, too.

According to the recent Gender Diversity in Silicon Valley [PDF] report, published by law firm Fenwick & West, women make up a measly 11% of executives within the Silicon Valley 150, the Bay Area's top tech companies. That's compared to 16% in the S&P 100, the leading U.S. companies across various industries.

In Silicon Valley, women also make up only 10% of directors, 10% of committee members and 8% of committee chairs — all less than half of what's seen in the S&P 100. A dismal 9% of women are named executive officers in both the Silicon Valley 150 and the S&P 100.

"We hope this survey of gender diversity in Silicon Valley will stimulate more discussion and serve as a resource for measuring how well women are faring at the senior levels of leadership in the Silicon Valley workplace," the report states.

The following chart, created by statistics portal Statista, compares the percentages of women in leadership positions in Silicon Valley and the leading U.S. companies [Mashable].