Women and Minorities in Commercial Aviation: A Quantitative Analysis of Data from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics

Abstract

The low participation rate of women and minorities working in the aviation industry has been well documented by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Past research has traditionally focused on the ratio of women and minorities in aviation occupations. However, there has been very little research into the rate of change over time. While the ratio of women and minorities in aviation occupations remains low, has the total number increased significantly in the past two decades? If so, how many women and minorities will be working in aviation occupations in 10 years if this trend continues in the future? How can the aviation industry and aviation education institutions work together to attract more women and minorities to work in these highly paid positions? This study will analyze existing data from the BLS to answer these questions