Enrollment by Sex

About This Indicator

This indicator shows the percentage of all 18- to 24-year-old adults in the state who are currently enrolled in college or have completed some college credit or a credential by sex. Respondents were instructed to report their sex as either female or male (intersex was not presented as an option). The data source does not include information about the respondent’s gender identity (e.g., man, woman, non-binary, transgender).

Differential economic incentives for college enrollment appear to be a key factor underlying sex-based postsecondary enrollment disparities. Specifically, men with just a high school diploma generally have better job and wage prospects than do their female counterparts, which may lower the relative expected value of a college degree among men.¹

Data Source

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey one-year public use microdata sample.

Note. The estimate for 2020 is not reported due to data collection problems that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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¹ https://www.stlouisfed.org/on-the-economy/2022/mar/why-women-outnumber-men-college-enrollment