Oregon — A recent analysis from the Academy of Ideas Business & Management (AIBM) highlights a widening gender divide in American higher education, with men continuing to lag behind women in college enrollment, persistence, and completion. The findings add to a growing body of research suggesting that the nation’s colleges and universities may be facing a long-term imbalance with far-reaching economic and social implications.
According to the report, male enrollment has steadily declined over the past several decades. Today, women make up roughly 60 percent of U.S. college students, continuing a trend that accelerated in the early 2000s, “women are 11 percentage points more likely to graduate from a four-year institution in four years and 7 percentage points more likely to graduate within six years.” While college-going rates have risen for both genders over time, the rate for men has stagnated and, in some cases, fallen, particularly among working-class and minority men.
The analysis emphasizes that the gap extends beyond enrollment. Women are significantly more likely to complete a degree, with higher graduation rates across nearly all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. Men are more likely to stop out or drop out before finishing, often citing financial strain, lack of academic engagement, or a preference for entering the workforce sooner.
Researchers note that lower male educational attainment carries long-term consequences. Individuals without a college degree face limited access to high-skilled jobs, lower lifetime earnings, and greater economic instability. At the national level, uneven degree attainment may contribute to labor shortages in fields requiring postsecondary education.
The report also examines potential drivers behind the trend, including shifting labor-market incentives, declining K–12 academic performance among boys, and social pressures that may discourage men from pursuing or persisting in higher education. While some institutions have begun experimenting with targeted support programs, the authors argue that broad, systemic solutions will be necessary to close the gap.
AIBM’s analysis concludes that reversing male underrepresentation will require “holistic interventions,” including early academic preparation, culturally responsive support services, and reconsideration of financial and structural barriers that disproportionately affect male students.
As policymakers debate how to address college affordability and workforce development, the gender gap in higher education has emerged as a critical, and increasingly urgent, challenge.
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