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Female MBAs: Why aren’t there more?

A fundamental problem experienced by business schools throughout the world is the lack of female students pursuing an MBA qualification. The issue is highlighted when considering the number of women trying to gain a business degree as opposed to a medical or legal equivalent. Women in the UK make up 30% of the annual MBA intake of top schools, as against 44% at law and medical schools.



According to Laura Tyson, the new Dean at London Business School: “The gender disparity that we see in top management has a detrimental impact on economic and business growth”. But what factors account for this large gender disparity and is anything being done to redress it?



A University of Michigan/Catalyst study concluded that women have negative perceptions of business and business education. Business school – much like senior management – is viewed as overly aggressive and self-serving. However, further analysis of the study results show roughly the same percentage of male/females who took part held this view (20/27).



The competition issue is a complicated one: if we define a competitive person as one who tries hard to do their very best then this is probably a fair assessment of a typical MBA student – both women and men. Individuals who take MBAs do so because they want to achieve and be successful so an element of competition is not only inevitable, but healthy too.



The struggle to maintain a good work/life balance is an issue everyone encounters but one which can be particularly problematic for women. The average age of MBAs – late twenties/early thirties – directly coincides with the time when many female candidates are bearing children. Strategies to counter this problem include offering greater flexibility and establishing work weeks that are realistic for women with families. Furthermore, a woman who wants to take a break and have children should know that having an MBA will help significantly when she is ready to resume working.



Some schools are doing a lot to make women feel welcome in their MBA programmes. When researching particular schools, take a look at the published percentages of women in the class and the number and variety of women’s organisations on campus. How many women are on the faculty? Look at the speakers who came to the school last year and ask how many women were asked to speak at the school. You will find that there are differences among schools.


Financing an MBA is a challenge for men and women alike. In this respect women have an advantage. There are many scholarships designated for women, while virtually none are exclusively for men.



The Wharton School has found that women benefit from their MBA in different ways from men. It helps build their confidence and communication skills, which are vital to progress to senior management. Perhaps most importantly, an MBA helps establish credibility in the early stages of a woman’s career, when she might otherwise be blocked or overlooked for a more aggressive male colleague.