Background. Initiatives to promote gender equality in STEM have been developed in Europe over a number of years. However, all specific programmes have proved to be insufficient to increase the number of women in science and in engineering.

Research aims. The main objective is to analyze the barriers that lead to gender inequity in the context of science and the academia, namely vertical and horizontal segregation (underrepresentation of women in STEM) and asymmetric gender culture in organisations (including structural barriers for women).

Methodology. In this paper location parameters of descriptive statistics, like median 1st and 3rd quartile and rate structure, were compared. Those simple parameters were used to show the scale of differences between males and females, especially in the context of salaries, and to highlight the dynamics of changes in time.

Key findings. The study revealed that there is no equity in salaries at all educational levels in Poland. There is also no equity in R&D personnel salaries and in number of engineering students and in higher level technical university personnel.

Conclusions. Urgent solutions and actions are needed to increase the equity balance in STEM in the context of salaries and careers development, in transportation engineering field.

Background. Initiatives to promote gender equality in STEM have been developed in Europe over a number of years. However, all specific programmes have proved to be insufficient to increase the number of women in science and in engineering.

Research aims. The main objective is to analyze the barriers that lead to gender inequity in the context of science and the academia, namely vertical and horizontal segregation (underrepresentation of women in STEM) and asymmetric gender culture in organisations (including structural barriers for women).

Methodology. In this paper location parameters of descriptive statistics, like median 1st and 3rd quartile and rate structure, were compared. Those simple parameters were used to show the scale of differences between males and females, especially in the context of salaries, and to highlight the dynamics of changes in time.

Key findings. The study revealed that there is no equity in salaries at all educational levels in Poland. There is also no equity in R&D personnel salaries and in number of engineering students and in higher level technical university personnel.

Conclusions. Urgent solutions and actions are needed to increase the equity balance in STEM in the context of salaries and careers development, in transportation engineering field.