The Growth of Women in “Non-Traditional” Industries, pg. 1 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Issue in Brief
 Prepared by the National Women’s Business Council March 2004 

The Growth of Women in “Non-Traditional” Industries 

The number of women-owned businesses continues to increase at double the rate of all U.S. firms, with growth coming from all industries. While 

more than two-thirds of women-owned firms are concentrated in the Services and Retail Trade industries, it is important to note that the fastest growth 

in women’s business ownership is found within industries such as construction, agriculture and transportation – industries not typically identified with 

women’s entrepreneurship. While the number of all majority-owned, privately-held women-owned firms grew by 14.3% between 1997 and 2002, the 

number of women-owned firms in “non-traditional” industries (agriculture, mining, construction, manufacturing, transportation/communications, and 

wholesale trade) grew by 17.5%. This Issue in Brief summarizes key facts and figures about women business owners and their enterprises in nontraditional industries. 

•	 The number of majority-owned, privately-held 

women-owned firms in non-traditional industries 

(Agriculture, Mining, Construction, Manufacturing, 

Transportation/Communications, and Wholesale 

Trade) grew by 17.5% between 1997 and 2002, while 

the number of women-owned firms in other, more 

traditional industries (Retail Trade, Finance/ 

Insurance/Real Estate, and Services) grew by just 

10.4%.1 

•	 Among women-owned firms in non-traditional 

industries, recent growth has been strongest in 

Construction, with a 35.5% increase in the number of 

firms between 1997 and 2002. Women-owned 

Agribusiness and 

Transportation/ 

Communications firms 

have grown strongly as 

well, with 27.2% and 

23.6% increases, 

respectively.2 

•	 The movement of 

women into these nontraditional industries is 

still relatively new. 

Thus, the growth in the 

employment and 

revenues of womenowned firms in these 

industries does not yet 

significantly outpace the 

growth in the number 

of firms, as it does 

among women-owned firms in traditional industries. 

The number of non-traditional women-owned firms 

increased by 17.5% between 1997 and 2002, while 

employment grew by 22.9% and revenues increased by 

35.4%. In contrast, the number of women-owned 

firms in traditional industries grew by 10.4% during 

that time, but employment increased by 36.5% and 

revenues increased by 46.7%.3 

•	 A key measure of business stability is firm survival 

rates over a period of time. From 1997 to 2000, the 

industries that showed the highest survival rates 

among women-owned employer establishments were 

in non-traditional industries: Agriculture/Forestry/ 

Fishing (78.7% 

survival); Wholesale 

Trade (78.5%); and 

Manufacturing 

(78.2%). A more 

detailed sub-industry 

analysis revealed that 

nine of the top fifteen 

sub-industries fell 

within Manufacturing, 

with survivability rates 

over the same period 

of 87% and higher.4 

•	 Women-owned 

employer 

establishments that 

were in existence in 

1997 showed a net 

decrease in 

14.3 

17.5 

10.4 

Total 

Non-Traditional Industries 

Traditional Industries 

0 5 10 15 20

Percent Change in Number of Firms, 1997 - 2002 

Growth in Number of Women-Owned Firms 

is Highest in Non-Traditional Industries 

Source: Center for Women's Business Research using Bureau of the Census data 

Non-Traditional Industries include Agriculture, Mining, Construction, Manufacturing, 

Transportation/Communications, and Wholesale Trade 

Traditional Industries include Retail Trade, Finance/Insurance/Real Estate, and Services 
 

 

The Growth of Women in “Non-Traditional” Industries, pg. 2 

employment of 4.2% between 1997 and 2000, 

compared to a net loss of 6.7% among all employer 

establishments. Women-owned Agribusiness and 

Construction establishments, however, showed net 

employment gains of 7.4% and 6.4%, respectively, 

from 1997 to 2000. Among all employer 

establishments, no industry saw employment gains 

from 1997 to 2000.5 

•	 Women-owned firms in non-traditional – largely 

goods-producing – industries have higher revenues per 

firm than women-owned firms in traditional service 

industries. While the average women-owned 

firm generated revenues of $186,000 in 2002, womenowned firms in Wholesale Trade averaged more than 

$1.9 million in revenues per firm. Women-owned 

firms in Manufacturing generated an average of 

$956,000; Construction averaged $617,000; Mining, 

$458,000; and Transportation/Communications 

averaged $266,000 in revenues per firm.6 

•	 Women-owned employer firms in non-traditional 

industries also employ more people than womenowned firms in traditional industries. Four out of the 

top five industries based on employees per firm are: 

Manufacturing (average of 16.9 employees per 

employer firm); Mining (11.9); Wholesale Trade (8.1); 

and Construction (7.8).7 

Majority-Owned, Privately-Held Women-Owned Firms in the United States by Industry: 1997 – 2002 

% Change 1997-2002 

Share of All 

Firms, 2002 

Number of 

Firms Employment Sales 

All Firms 14.3 30.0 40.4 28.3 

Non-Traditional Industries 

Agriculture 

Mining 

Construction 

Manufacturing 

Transportation, Communications, Public Utilities 

Wholesale Trade 

17.5 

27.2 

-21.6 

35.5 

2.8 

23.6 

3.2 

22.9 

74.8 

0.0 

69.9 

-2.1 

10.6 

19.9 

35.4 

104.3 

0.0 

94.3 

4.6 

28.7 

33.3 

12.8 

17.9 

17.1 

8.1 

18.8 

15.1 

16.3 

Traditional Industries 

Retail Trade 

Finance, Insurance, Real Estate 

Services 

10.4 

7.8 

14.4 

10.6 

36.5 

31.3 

-11.5 

43.9 

46.7 

39.1 

29.4 

58.1 

34.4 

34.2 

26.3 

36.3 

Source: Center for Women’s Business Research. “Women-Owned Businesses in 2002: Trends in the U.S. and 50 States,” December 2001. 

www.womensbusinessresearch.org 

The National Women’s Business Council is a bi-partisan Federal 

government body created to serve as an independent source of 

advice and policy recommendations to the President, Congress, 

and the U.S. Small Business Administration on economic issues 

of importance to women business owners. Members of the 

Council are prominent women business owners and leaders of 

1 Center for Women’s Business Research. “Women-Owned Businesses 

in 2002: Trends in the U.S. and 50 States,” December 2001. 

http://www.womensbusinessresearch.org/Research/12-4-2001/12-4-

2001.htm 

2 Ibid. 

3 Ibid. 

4 National Women’s Business Council. “Trends in Women-Owned 

Employer Establishments: 1997 to 2000,” 2004. 

http://www.nwbc.gov/publications/Issue%20brief%20-%20Census.pdf
 5 Ibid. 

6 Calculations based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau 

(www.census.gov) and Center for Women’s Business Research 

(www.womensbusinessresearch.org). 7 Ibid.
 

women’s business organizations. For more information about 

the Council, its mission and activities, contact: National 

Women’s Business Council, 409 3rd Street, SW, Suite 210, 

Washington, DC 20024; phone: 202-205-3850; fax: 202-205-

6825; e-mail: nwbc@sba.gov, web site: http://www.nwbc.gov.