Gender Disparities in Economics Education in the UK

Despite much progress toward parity of education over the last several decades, gender disparities still persist in most fields of study across the United Kingdom. One such field where this disparity still persists most strongly is economics education. While interest and enrollment in the subject have grown immensely, particularly at the A-level, the proportion of female students remains disproportionately low. Understanding the reasons behind this imbalance, its impact, and the efforts to rectify it is significant in developing a more representative and inclusive economic landscape.

In the past decade, economics has gained a lot of popularity. From evidence by the Bank of England and Financial Times data, A-level economics entrants grew approximately 60% in the UK between the years 2012 to 2023. However, such growth has not been equally felt across both sexes. Boys are still roughly twice as likely as girls to take A-level economics. Boys comprised almost two-thirds of A-level economics students in 2023, a ratio which has remained fairly constant even as absolute numbers have risen.

Several explanations underlie this long-standing gender gap. Chief among them is the lack of early introduction and promotion of girls to economics-related courses. In contrast to subjects like science or maths, where a healthy outreach and publicity effort can assist, economics is a subject that flits beneath the radar for young students. It has been found that most students do not come across economics until the A-level level officially, so preliminary ideas—are shaped by family, media, and social pressures—tend to hold a large role in who becomes drawn towards the subject.

Also, economic stereotypes of the field as a man's game, highly mathematical, and competitive may deter girls from taking it. Studies show that young women are more likely to be interested in subject matter that is perceived to have apparent social relevance or human consequence—areas in which traditional economics instruction sometimes fails to communicate its real-world relevance. If economics is not taught as a subject with profound implications for development, inequality, and sustainability, but rather only in the language of graphs, models, and markets, it could distance those students who are motivated by questions of social justice.

Another serious issue is the shortage of teachers of economics in state schools. Few schools teach economics at GCSE or even A-level, and those that do have few minority role models among the teaching staff. Without exposure to trained and passionate economics teachers—especially female role models—some students will never consider the subject as a course that is open or welcoming to them. This provision disproportionately affects lower-socioeconomic students, further perpetuating inequality on both class and gender dimensions.

Against these obstacles, there have been various efforts made at improving gender balance teaching economics. One of them is a fresh government-funded initiative, backed by the Bank of England, to train and send more economics teachers into state schools. This initiative, launched early in 2025, seeks to address not only the issue of increasing the number of teachers but also that of placing economics in more accessible and appealing prospect for more students.

In addition, organizations such as Discover Economics—a project that is supported by the Royal Economic Society—are trying to change the public perception of economics as a discipline and profession. Through their outreach programs, they work with secondary schools through workshops, mentoring programs, and teaching resources that elicit the human and social use of economic thinking. Through the provision of multiple role models and career paths in economics, these programs try to get more young women to see themselves as part of the discipline.

Universities and higher-learning institutions are joining this movement too. Economics faculties at most universities are updating their curriculum to better incorporate more varied content and introducing learning styles that are more engaging for a larger population of students. Others are offering foundation years and bridging programs for students who have never studied economics previously but have promise and interest.

Closing the economics education gender gap is not simply a matter of equality; it matters to society. Economists drive public policy, guide business, and determine the terms on which we address the world's most intractable challenges—like inequality, climate change, and financial instability. If the voices contributing to these debates are disproportionately one gender, the ideas and possibilities developed are certain to be thinner and less rich.

Short and sweet, the imbalance in the economics education for the UK runs deep and is complex, yet it is possible to overcome it. With intense outreach, curricular reform, enhanced teaching training, and sustained efforts to transform the public mentality, the topic can be broadened. The correction of the imbalance will not only allow more young women to pursue rewarding careers but also enrich the discipline of economics.