Women Outpace Men in College Enrollment and Completion
Recent studies show that young women are outpacing young men when it comes to college enrollment and completion rates—especially among those aged 25–34—highlighting the need for continued efforts towards creating equitable pathways into higher education for all genders
Jan. 06, 2023 1:50PM
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A woman walking across a university campus holding books with a graduation cap atop her head surrounded by other students walking around her
Recent studies have shown that young women are more likely to be enrolled in college than young men, and the gap is even wider among those ages 25 to 34. Among adults ages 25 and older, women are also more likely than men to have a four-year college degree. The gender gap in higher education has been growing for some time now. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, women earned 57% of bachelor’s degrees awarded in 2017-2018, up from 51% in 2007-2008. In addition, the U.S. Department of Education found that women made up 59% of all students enrolled in degree-granting postsecondary institutions during the 2018–19 academic year. Experts attribute this trend to a variety of factors, including cultural norms and expectations around gender roles as well as differences between male and female academic performance at earlier stages of education. Studies have also found that women tend to place greater value on higher education than men do, leading them to pursue it more actively than their male counterparts. In terms of college completion rates, the gap between men and women is even larger among younger adults ages 25 to 34—with nearly 60 percent of females completing a four-year degree compared with just over 40 percent for males—according to data from the U.S Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). This suggests that while there may be an overall trend towards greater educational attainment among both genders, there is still much work left to be done when it comes to closing the gender gap in higher education outcomes across all age groups. The implications of this trend are far reaching; not only does it affect individuals’ access to better job opportunities and higher salaries but it can also lead to disparities in representation within certain industries or professions where educational attainment plays an important role in determining who gets hired or promoted into leadership positions. It is therefore essential that we continue working towards creating equitable pathways into higher education so that everyone has an equal chance at success regardless of their gender identity or background.