The world record progression 1500 m speed skating women as recognised by the International Skating Union:
| Name | Result | Date | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Zofia Nehringowa |
3:28.0 | 27 January 1929 | Warsaw | |
| Zofia Nehringowa |
3:10.4 | 10 January 1932 | Davos | |
 Synnøve Lie |
3:08.1 | 7 March 1932 | Oslo | |
 Verné Lesche |
2:49.0 | 26 February 1933 | Helsinki | |
| Undis Blikken |
2:40.0 | 12 February 1934 | Oslo | |
| Laila Schou Nilsen |
2:38.1 | 23 January 1937 | Oslo | |
| Randi Thorvaldsen |
2:37.5 | 25 February 1950 | Gjøvik | |
 Rimma Zhukova |
2:36.7 | 17 March 1950 | Kirov | |
| Maria Isakova |
2:29.5 | 12 February 1951 | Medeo | |
| Khalida Shegoleyeva |
2:25.5 | 30 January 1953 | Medeo | |
| Lidia Skoblikova |
2:25.2 | 12 February 1960 | Squaw Valley | |
| Inga Artamonova |
2:19.0 | 27 January 1962 | Medeo | |
 Ans Schut |
2:18.5 | 22 February 1969 | Inzell | |
| Nina Statkevich |
2:17.8 | 17 January 1970 | Medeo | |
| Atje Keulen-Deelstra |
2:17.2 | 14 March 1970 | Inzell | |
| Stien Kaiser |
2:15.8 | 15 January 1971 | Davos | |
| Tatyana Averina |
2:14.00 | 1 April 1974 | Medeo | |
| Tatyana Averina |
2:09.90 | 11 March 1975 | Medeo | |
| Khalida Vorobyeva |
2:07.18 | 10 April 1978 | Medeo | |
| Natalya Petrusyova |
2:06.01 | 3 January 1981 | Medeo | |
| Natalya Petrusyova |
2:05.39 | 27 March 1981 | Medeo | |
| Natalya Petrusyova |
2:04.04 | 25 March 1983 | Medeo | |
 Karin Enke |
2:03.42 | 9 February 1984 | Sarajevo | |
| Andrea Schöne |
2:03.34 | 24 March 1984 | Medeo | |
| Karin Kania |
2:02.23 | 6 March 1986 | Inzell | |
| Karin Kania |
1:59.30 | 22 March 1986 | Medeo | |
 Catriona Le May Doan |
1:57.87 | 29 November 1997 | Calgary | |
| Marianne Timmer |
1:57.58 | 16 February 1998 | Nagano | |
 Anni Friesinger |
1:56.95 | 29 March 1998 | Calgary | |
| Annamarie Thomas |
1:55.50 | 20 March 1999 | Calgary | |
| Anni Friesinger |
1:54.38 | 4 March 2001 | Calgary | |
| Anni Friesinger |
1:54.02 | 20 February 2002 | Salt Lake City | OG 2002 |
| Cindy Klassen |
1:53.87 | 9 January 2005 | Salt Lake City | |
| Cindy Klassen |
1:53.77 | 28 October 2005 | Calgary | |
| Anni Friesinger |
1:53.22 | 6 November 2005 | Calgary | |
| Cindy Klassen |
1:51.79 | 20 November 2005 | Salt Lake City | |
 Brittany Bowe |
1:51.59 | 15 November 2015 | Calgary | World Cup |
| Heather Richardson-Bergsma |
1:50.85 | 21 November 2015 | Salt Lake City | World Cup |
 Miho Takagi |
1:49.84 | 10 March 2019 | Salt Lake City | World Cup |