Women in Auto Retail: Progress and Challenges in 2025

The automotive dealership industry is making strides attracting more women to the workforce, but there's still a significant gap between what seems like progress and how differently employees view the day-to-day experience.

In the 2025 CDK Dealership Workplace Study of more than 400 dealership employees, women made up about a quarter of respondents. That’s right in line with the majority of respondents saying the makeup at their dealerships is 80% men and 20% women.

Both groups were overwhelmingly satisfied in their current roles. Women are slightly more satisfied than men with their dealership careers (83% versus 82%) and are more likely to recommend the profession to others. These numbers are significantly higher than last year when there was a negative gender gap for women, with just 66% job satisfaction compared to 77% for men. 

And, encouragingly, 61% also said their dealership has women in leadership positions. Only about half (53%) of female employees agreed that women are well-represented in critical roles. 

Women in the Dealership Feel Unseen and Devalued

But the data tells only part of the story. The striking reality is that men and women experience the same workplace very differently. Three out of four men describe their dealership as supportive and empowering. For women, the picture is far less positive: 

• Only 25% of women feel a sense of pride in what they do.
• Only 24% feel their dealership is heading in the right direction.
• Just 26% say their dealership is a supportive environment.
• Fewer than one in four say leadership listens to their ideas and opinions.
• Just 23% feel valued.
• Only 12% believe their dealership invests in programs that actively attract and support women.

When asked what matters most in a dealership career, women emphasized five things: work/life balance, opportunity for good pay, flexible scheduling, making a positive contribution, and exciting work environment. 

The emphasis on work/life balance and flexible scheduling reflects real challenges that women face more so than their male counterparts. One survey respondent noted the job seemed better suited for someone single and without kids, while another observed how difficult the scheduling was for those with families. 

Women Want Mentorship and Fair Pay

Women working at the dealership are clear about what would make the industry more welcoming: mentorship and training programs, maternity leave and child care support, equity in pay and benefits, safety and harassment prevention programs, and clearly defined career advancement plans. 

Notably, women want dealerships to prioritize promoting from within over hiring external candidates. This suggests frustration that opportunities are often given to outside hires — frequently men — rather than to women already working at the dealership. 

Different Stressors at Play

This year, CDK looked at the top stressors on dealership employees and there were clear differences between men and women. There were four areas with a statistically significant difference (more than five percentage points), which women viewed as most stressful:

• Pay structure
• Inefficient technology
• Internal team dynamics
• Leadership style

Retention Remains Strong

Women also have a strong likelihood to remain in automotive retail. In the short term, four out of five women (80%) have no plans to leave their dealership role in the next six months, slightly higher than men and the average at 78%. But over the long-term women are slightly less likely to stay with one in five (20%) saying they’ll definitely be out of the industry in the next five years, compared to 16% of men. 

Beyond Representation

Women are increasingly present in dealership workforces and even leadership roles, but day-to-day experiences show that representation alone isn’t enough. Dealerships need to bridge the gap between having women on the team and creating environments where they feel heard, supported and valued.