Women make up about 36.7% of commercial real estate professionals but hold just 9% of C-suite positions, according to the latest study by the Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Network. Women also face a substantial wage gap; they earn 10% less than men in base salaries, and the gap is wider for Asian women (14%), Black women (15%), and Hispanic/Latinx women (20%). The 2020 figures show that little progress has been made in the past decade, and there’s much more work to do for women to achieve parity.
However, the “2020 CREW Network Benchmark Study: Gender and Diversity in Commercial Real Estate,” conducted in partnership with the MIT Center for Real Estate, also signals the needle is moving. The study saw a 5.4% increase in women respondents 39 years and younger, indicating a growing generation of young and emerging female professionals in the industry. In addition, more women (32%) are aspiring to the C-suite, a 4% increase from 2015, and more women occupy brokerage positions than ever before (29%), a 6% increase from 2015.
To raise the visibility of women in the multifamily industry—from property management and investment to finance and policy—Multifamily Executive is highlighting 10 leaders who are making a difference.
