BMHS Earns AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award

Congratulations to Brien McMahon High School for earning the College Board’s AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for expanding young women’s access to AP Computer Science Principles (CSP).

Brien McMahon was one of 834 schools to be recognized for achieving this important result in AP CSP. More than 1,100 institutions achieved either 50% or higher female representation in one of the two AP computer science courses or a percentage of the female computer science exam takers meeting or exceeding that of the school’s female population during the 2022-23 school year.

This honor recognizes the outstanding work that Brien McMahon is doing to engage more female students in computer science. BMHS and the other schools that received this year’s AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award serve as inspirations and models for all U.S. high schools. 

Through Brien McMahon High School’s leadership in diversifying computer science education, the school is preparing its female students for the in-demand jobs of the future and giving them the opportunity to help solve some of society's most challenging problems.

The first year of AP Computer Science Principles in 2016-17 attracted more students than any other AP course debut, and participation is on the rise. In 2023,164,505 students took the AP CSP Exam—more than triple the number of exam takers in the course’s first year. In 2023, 55,572 women took the AP CSP Exam, more than four times the number who tested in 2017.

According to College Board data, research shows that female students who take AP computer science are more likely to major in computer science in college compared to female students of similar background and academic preparation who did not take CSP. The study also finds AP CSP students are nearly twice as likely to enroll in AP CSA, and that for most students, AP CSP serves as a stepping stone to other advanced AP STEM coursework.

Providing female students with access to computer science courses is critical to ensuring gender parity in the industry’s high-paying jobs and to driving innovation, creativity, and representation. The median annual wage for computer and information technology occupations was $100,530 in May 2022. However, women represent just 24% of the five million people in computing occupations. 

These findings highlight the importance of schools nationwide achieving gender parity in AP computer science classrooms. Overall, female students remain underrepresented in the AP high school computer science classes, accounting for just 34% of AP Computer Science Principles participants and 26% of AP Computer Science A participants. Currently, 57.5% of the nation’s high schools teach foundational computer science.