Bulgaria Among EU Leaders in Female Participation in the IT Sector

Bulgaria continues to hold a leading position in the European Union when it comes to the share of women working in the information technology sector. According to the most recent Eurostat data for 2024, women make up 27% of all IT specialists in the country. This places Bulgaria third in the EU ranking, following Estonia with 27.6% and Romania with 27.3%. In contrast, the EU average remains considerably lower, just 19.5%.

Although slightly down from 2023, when Bulgaria held the top spot with 29.1%, the country remains one of the most successful examples of gender inclusion in the tech industry. This stands in stark contrast to countries such as the Czech Republic, Malta, and Hungary, where the proportion of women in IT hovers around 13–15%.

Across the European Union, more than 10 million people were employed in the field of information and communication technologies in 2024. That accounts for approximately 5% of the total workforce in the bloc. The overall trend is upward, with the sector's share growing by 0.2 percentage points compared to 2023 and by 1.6 points over the past decade.

In Bulgaria, the IT sector accounts for 4.6% of all employed individuals, positioning the country near the middle of the EU ranking. Leading the pack in this regard are Sweden (8.6%), Luxembourg (8%), and Finland (7.8%), while countries like Greece (2.5%), Romania (2.8%), and Italy (4%) sit at the lower end of the scale.

The term "ICT specialists" used in statistical reports refers broadly to professionals in the digital and technology sectors - sometimes also labeled as digital experts, IT professionals, or tech specialists. These roles are increasingly critical as Europe continues its transition toward a more digital economy.

Against this backdrop, Bulgaria’s ability to engage women in IT jobs stands out. In a labor market that is seeing rising demand for digital talent, the country’s comparatively high level of female representation in tech positions is not just a demographic achievement but also a strategic advantage - one that many other EU nations have yet to match.