The New Gender Gap in College Degrees
- Until the late 1970s, degree-earning men greatly outnumbered women
- The tide has turned: today, more women than men are going to college
- There are many theories as to why more women than men are earning degrees
There was a time in the U.S. when the gender gap in those who earned college degrees favored men. More men were in the workforce, where they were expected to be the breadwinners of their families, and more women were stay-at-home moms and homemakers.
However, that began to change in the 1970s. More women chose to pursue careers and enter the workplace, which meant more women began entering college to gain the education necessary to pursue those careers. According to the newsletter Postsecondary Education Opportunity, women began to overtake men in the number of college degrees earned in the U.S. in the late 1970s. Men have been the gender minority in college enrollment ever since.
According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, women earned the majority of all degrees during the 2005-2006 academic year. They earned about 58 percent of all bachelor's degrees and 60 percent of all master's degrees. Women also earned the majority of undergraduate degrees awarded in career fields such as education, psychology, communications, and performing and visual arts. Men earned the majority of degrees awarded in business, engineering and physical sciences.
Overall, the wages of men continue to outpace those of women, but the declining numbers of men seeking college degrees has been troubling some educators, although others point out that men are still earning more college degrees now than they have in the past, albeit at a slower growth rate than women.
Why are men earning fewer college degrees than women? Educators point to a few different factors.
It Starts in High School
Boys drop out of, or are expelled from high school in greater numbers than girls. Boys are also three times as likely to be enrolled in special education programs at this level.
Look at the Collar
More men than women typically seek blue collar jobs in technical and vocational trades which don't require a four-year degree. While more women may seek bachelor degrees, more men are seeking vocational training to work in construction, plumbing, auto repair and other jobs which pay well, but don't require a degree. Many of these jobs pay just as much, if not more, than jobs which require a degree. Unfortunately, employment opportunities in many of these skilled trades are on the decline.
Colleges Courted Women
Back in 1972, a law known as Title IX was passed, which stated, in part, "No person in the United States shall on the basis of sex, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance." The law was basically enacted to ensure that women would be afforded the same educational and athletic opportunities as men, not only at the college level but in high school as well. The law served its purpose. Female high school athletic participating has increased more than 900 percent since the law was passed, and female college athletic participation has increased well over 400 percent.
Women Stick With the Program
A California state commission studying the gender gap in college degrees came across an interesting statistic. In 2000, the state system's incoming freshman class was 57 percent female. However, the 2005 graduating class was 66 percent female. That means either more women than men stuck it out and finished their degrees or men are more transient and transferred elsewhere.
It's Academic
Not only are women earning more degrees than men, but they are earning better grades, too. Again, this starts in the elementary, middle and high school levels. Boys lag behind girls in reading and writing skills, and girls are more likely to dominate the honor rolls. Educators are beginning to work harder to more fully engage boys in their studies at these levels.
Gender Roles Are Changing
Men used to know what was expected of them. Their path in life was clear: graduate high school, go to college, get a good-paying job, and support the family. Now, women are following that same path. With a less-defined role, men are following other paths which may not have as much of an emphasis on careers or education.
Some colleges are concerned enough about the gender gap in college degrees that they have begun to take action by more actively recruiting men. St. Petersburg College has established The Male Outreach Center, which aims to increase the number of male students and "create an environment in which male students may network, gain opportunities, graduate, and find jobs within their respective fields," according to its web site. In early 2008, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay started distributing recruitment fliers which specifically targeted men.
Despite the apparent gender gap in college degrees, some in academic circles say it isn't a problem at all. It isn't that men are lagging behind, they argue; it's that conditions for women are improving. They are also quick to point out that women still earn less money than men, earn fewer medical and law degrees and earn fewer doctorates. Men are also more likely to seek degrees in higher-paying fields such as engineering and information technology.
There is one point on which both sides seem to be in agreement: the U.S. will find it harder to compete in the global economy of the future if half of the population is being left behind academically … no matter which half that happens to be.
Terrance Lee is a veteran news reporter with more than 20 years of experience in radio and television broadcasting. He currently works in marketing and public relations and is a distance learning student.
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