What percentage of cybersecurity workers are women?

According to ISC2's Cybersecurity Workforce Study (2024), women make up approximately 24% of the global cybersecurity workforce. This represents meaningful growth from approximately 11% in 2017, but significant underrepresentation persists. The U.S. cybersecurity workforce has slightly higher female representation at approximately 26%.

Representation varies by cybersecurity specialization. GRC, compliance, and policy roles have higher female participation (estimated 30 to 35%). Cybersecurity sales and marketing roles also show higher representation. Technical roles in penetration testing, security engineering, and malware analysis have lower female participation (estimated 15 to 20%). Leadership representation is growing but remains low: approximately 17% of CISOs are women according to industry surveys.

Several organizations actively support women in cybersecurity. Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) hosts the largest conference dedicated to women in the field. SANS Women's CyberForce Academy provides scholarships and training. ISC2 offers Women in Cybersecurity scholarships. Diana Initiative, an InfoSec conference, provides community and networking. The Executive Women's Forum focuses on women in information security leadership.

For women entering cybersecurity: the gender gap creates opportunity. Many organizations actively recruit women to improve team diversity. Scholarship and training programs lower financial barriers. Network with WiCyS, Diana Initiative, and Security BSides communities. DecipherU's career guides are designed for all professionals regardless of background, and our assessment tools help every candidate find their best-fit cybersecurity role.