We analyzed the glass ceiling concept in the administration of public Chilean universities from an exploratory-descriptive perspective, so as to identify women's participation in higher management positions in universities as well as the obstacles and roadblocks women face to have access to these kind of positions. The results obtained show that gender inequality exists in higher management positions at the universities included in the study, in particular for positions such as university president, secretary general and to a lesser degree for positions of vice-chancellor and dean.