Utah remains the worst state in the nation for women's equality, according to 2026 WalletHub data, ranking 50th out of 50 states across 17 key indicators. This assessment follows years of research by the Utah Women & Leadership Project showing that while women's presence in Utah's top business leadership roles has increased, significant gaps in income and political empowerment persist.
National Equality Rankings
The WalletHub analysis, released on August 17, 2026, identifies Utah as having the largest gaps in several critical categories. Specifically, Utah ranks 50th for the largest income gap and 48th for the largest gap in executive positions held by women. The state also ranks 50th for the largest educational attainment gap among advanced degree holders and 46th for the largest political representation gap.
Progress in Business Leadership
While the state ranks last overall, research from the Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) indicates some progress in the private sector. A 2024 report found that 25.3% of top leadership roles—including CEO, president, and top manager—were held by women in Utah businesses with at least 100 employees. This represents an increase from 11.6% in 2014 and 6.4% in 2018.
Industry Leadership Disparities
Despite these gains in leadership, the industry breakdown shows significant variation. The 2024 UWLP study reported that the top industry categories for women CEOs included educational services at 28.6%, health care and social assistance at 24.4%, and accommodation and food services at 20.7%. Conversely, women hold 0% of CEO positions in real estate, rental, and leasing, and only 1.1% in construction.
Corporate Support Initiatives
To combat these disparities, the 100 Companies Championing Women initiative was launched in 2022 through a partnership between the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, the UWLP, and the Cox-Henderson administration. Data from the second year of the campaign showed that 98% of participating companies offered flexible work hours and 91% offered remote work to support employees.
Mission for Change
The effort to advance women in Utah has been a long-term mission for local organizations. The Women's Leadership Institute (WLI), founded in 2015 by A. Scott Anderson, has worked to increase gender diversity in the state's political and business landscapes. The organization's mission is to ensure women's talents and voices are valued at every level of leadership.
Leadership Transition
The WLI has seen leadership transitions as it continues its work. Following a decade of service, founder and former CEO Patricia Jones announced her retirement in April 2024. She was succeeded by Melanie Paris Jones, who leads the organization in its efforts to expand its reach and champion progress for women in Utah's business and civic communities.
Pathways to Equality
Addressing the challenges identified by researchers requires structural changes. Susan Madsen, director of the UWLP, suggested that companies should create leadership pipelines through mentoring and training, and consider at least two women candidates for every director opening to increase visibility and representation.
