---
title: "Race and Ethnicity of Military Women"
description: "More than three-in-ten (31%) military women are black. This is almost twice the share of active-duty men who are black."
date: "2012-01-05"
authors:
  - name: "Russell Heimlich"
    job_title: "Former web developer"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/russell-heimlich/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2012/01/05/race-and-ethnicity-of-military-women/"
---

# Race and Ethnicity of Military Women

The most prominent demographic difference between men and women in the military is the racial composition of the two groups. While 71% of active-duty men are white (including white Hispanics), only about half of active-duty women (53%) are white.

Among military women, 31% are black (including black Hispanics). This is almost twice the share of active-duty men who are black (16%), as well as more than twice the proportion of civilian women ages 18-44 who are black (15%). In addition, there are more women of mixed racial background or some other race in the active-duty force than men in the active-duty force or civilian women ages 18-44. [Read More](https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2011/12/22/women-in-the-u-s-military-growing-share-distinctive-profile/2/#a-snapshot-of-active-duty-women?src=prc-number)