MPC Member Publications

This database contains a listing of population studies publications written by MPC Members. Anyone can add a publication by an MPC student, faculty, or staff member to this database; new citations will be reviewed and approved by MPC administrators.

Full Citation

Title: Regrets, she's had a few: Gender and regret of computer science and engineering degrees

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2026

ISSN: 10960317

DOI: 10.1016/j.ssresearch.2025.103298

Abstract: In this article, we introduce a novel social fact that will be highly relevant for studies of gender inequality: women in computer science and, to a lesser extent, engineering fields report distinctly high levels of regret of their field of study compared to otherwise similar men. We develop expectations regarding gendered patterns of regret and examine them using nine waves of the Federal Reserve's Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED) between 2015 and 2023. Using regression decomposition techniques, we demonstrate that observed economic, occupation, industry, and sociodemographic characteristics fare poorly in explaining the high regret of women in these fields. In fact, these fields are defined by a uniquely large unexplained amount of regret among women. Our findings raise alarm for those who wish to open access to these critical CS/Engineering fields for women: such endeavors will likely fail unless deep cultural work is done to change the regret that many women feel after successfully entering these fields.

Url: https://doi.org/10.1177/089124390004002002

User Submitted?: No

Authors: VanHeuvelen, Tom; Quadlin, Natasha; Wald, Jordyn

Periodical (Full): Social Science Research

Issue: 2

Volume: 135

Pages: 103298

Countries:

IPUMS NHGIS NAPP IHIS ATUS Terrapop