6 things you need to know about STEM

STEM -- the acronym for science, technology, engineering and math -- has sparked a nationwide debate about education, gender, immigration and the future of the U.S. economy.

Here are six things you need to know about STEM
STEM -- the acronym for science, technology, engineering and math -- has sparked a nationwide debate about education, gender, immigration and the future of the U.S. economy.

Here are six things you need to know about STEM:
Computer science is a growing sector, and it's important for women to be a part of that growth. Employment opportunities are projected to grow 15% from 2012 to 2022 (that's faster than average), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Not all STEM jobs are created equal.

Though women earn roughly half of all bachelor's degrees in STEM fields, according to the National Science Foundation, their concentrations differ from their male counterparts.

Women tend to specialize in less lucrative STEM fields, according to FiveThirtyEight. They pursue careers in health and life sciences, while men are more likely to go into computer science and engineering (which tend to pay more).

Related: Women thrive in China's booming tech scene

The salary difference can be substantial. Nutritional science majors (86.4% of whom are women) earn a median $35,000 out of college. Meanwhile, Mining and Mineral Engineering majors (roughly 90% of whom are men) make a median $75,000 out of college.

Foreigners aren't taking Americans' jobs.

Foreign students gravitate toward STEM fields like medicine and computer software design, which have some of the lowest unemployment rates, according to a report from the Partnership for a New American Economy.

These are also jobs that U.S. companies consistently struggle to fill -- much more than their non-STEM counterparts, according to a Brookings report.

That means foreigners aren't keeping native workers in those fields from finding jobs.

Moreover, immigrants bring knowledge of global markets, which is key for innovation, according to Wadhwa.

The U.S. will be increasingly reliant on foreign talent.

Foreign students study STEM or business fields at a higher rate than American students (about 66% compared to 48%), according to a separate report from Brookings.

Moreover, the number of native-born students pursuing STEM degrees is growing at just 1% a year.

Related: Women take on manufacturing

Members of Congress have introduced efforts to make it easier for foreign STEM graduates to get a green card.

But mobilizing homegrown talent is also a priority for the Obama administration, which is putting $35 million toward a STEM teacher training competition and mentoring initiative that will connect students to tech workers.

Encouraging more people, especially women, to consider STEM fields is key to ensuring the U.S. doesn't suffer a massive brain drain when foreign talent leaves the country.

"We still need immigrants. [But] we need to encourage women to enter those fields," said Wadhwa. "[Then] immigration can take its natural path."