The Shifting Sands of Higher Education: Understanding the Trends in Male Student Statistics
The landscape of higher education is constantly evolving, with shifts in demographics, enrollment patterns, and graduation rates. Examining the data surrounding male students, particularly first-generation college students and those who discontinue their studies, reveals significant trends and challenges that warrant attention. This article delves into these statistics, exploring the factors contributing to these trends and their broader implications.
The Rise of Female Enrollment and Completion
For decades, the share of college degrees earned by men has been declining. In 1972, men earned 56.4 percent of all bachelor’s degrees, while women earned 43.6 percent. By 2019, this disparity had widened significantly, with women earning approximately 58 percent of all bachelor’s degrees. The pandemic accelerated this trend. From 2019 to 2020, male first-time college enrollment dropped by 5.1 percent, compared to less than 1 percent for women.
This gender disparity begins before college, with girls often outperforming boys in primary and secondary school, graduating at higher rates and with better grades. Since 1979, most men’s real wages have fallen, while most women’s have risen. An increasing share of prime-age men (those between ages 25 and 54) has given up looking for work. Men also experience “deaths of despair” from suicide, drugs, or alcohol at nearly three times the rate of women. Those hit hardest by these trends are often working-class men, men of color, or both.
White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian women between the ages of 25 and 34 are all more likely than their male counterparts to have a bachelor’s degree. This wasn't always the case. In 1995, young White women and men were equally likely to have a bachelor’s degree (29% each). Now, the gap has increased to 10 points (52% of White women vs. 42% of White men). Similarly, in 1995, young Black women and men were about equally likely to have a bachelor’s degree (14% vs. 16%). Today, Black women are 12 points more likely than Black men to have one (38% of Black women vs. 26% of Black men). There is also a growing gender gap between Hispanic men and women in college completion. In 1995, similar shares of Hispanic women and men had a bachelor’s degree (10% vs. 9%), but today the gap between groups is 9 points (31% vs. 22%). The pattern is different for Asian adults, with women and men making comparable gains over the last few decades. In 1995, 42% of young Asian women and men had a bachelor’s degree.
The Complexities of First-Generation College Students
Nearly 40% of college students are first-generation, meaning they are enrolled in college but whose immediate family members did not earn degrees. Among first-generation undergraduate students who enrolled in college in 2019-2020, 33% identified as men and 42% identified as women. 47% were also first-generation immigrants. Hispanic and Latino/a, Black, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, and American Indian and Alaska Native students are more likely than students of other races to be first-generation, while White students are the least likely.
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First-generation college students tend to come from families with lower incomes than other students’ families. A household with a high school education level made a median income of $55,810 per year, while a household with a bachelor’s degree level of education made over double that with an income of $105,552. Consequently, first-generation students also incur more student loan debt. Roughly 66% of first-generation college students had educational debt compared to 56% of continuing-generation students. Around two-thirds (65%) of first-generation college graduates owed $25,000 or more, while 57% of continuing-generation college graduates did. First-gen students hoping to set themselves up for success should strategize early on how to best tackle any debt they may incur.
Having at least one college-educated parent significantly increases the odds of graduating. Students with at least one college-educated parent were much more likely to get their bachelor’s. Students with two parents who earned bachelor’s degrees had the highest graduation rate for college at 82%. 60% of students with one parent with a degree in higher education graduated, double the percentage of first-generation students who graduate. College graduates with a parent who was also a college graduate were also more likely to complete an advanced degree (master’s, professional, doctoral degree). When race is factored in, white college graduates were most likely to have parents with at least a bachelor’s degree compared to students of other races. Black students were the least likely.
First-generation college students are more likely to attend two-year and for-profit institutions. Students with parents who had an education level of a high school diploma or less went to two-year institutions (43%), compared to the 53% of first-generation students who went to four-year institutions. Students with parents who have a bachelor’s degree or higher mostly attended four-year programs (72%), while only about 1 in 4 (27%) went to two-year institutions.
Even after graduation, the disparity between first-generation college students and continuing-generation peers is evident. Those without a college-educated parent went on to make a median household income of $99,600, whereas those with at least one college-educated parent made roughly $135,800. However, first-generation college students received more financial aid and grants than continuing-generation students, making their total cost of attendance lower. The average price of attendance for first-generation college students was $16,100 versus $21,000 for continuing-generation students. Students with parents who have a bachelor’s degree or higher had an average cost of attendance of $25,100. Nearly 70% of first-generation college students received Pell Grants for 2011-2012, compared to 44% of continuing-generation college students.
The Challenge of College Dropouts
As of July 2023, 43.1 million Americans were college dropouts. Between the fall semesters of 2022 and 2023, 22.3% of all first-time, full-time freshmen dropped out of college. At 4-year institutions, 18.3% of first-time, full-time college freshmen dropped out between 2022 and 2023. Workers with some college but no degree have a 3.8% unemployment rate, which is 15.2% higher than the national average. Workers aged 25 and older with some college but no degree make 7.2% less than associate’s degree holders on average, but 9.7% more than those with only a high school diploma.
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Students who drop out of college may do so because of finances, lack of time, lack of support, or high academic standards. 41% of college dropouts indicate they left due to financial reasons, while 37% indicate they left for family reasons or commitments. Of students who were enrolled but seriously considering leaving college, about half said it is difficult to afford college (53%) and related expenses (50%). 26% of students who dropped out said that academic challenges contributed to leaving, while 22% said that mental health challenges were a factor. Students who dropped out or who were seriously considering leaving college were less likely to have family encouragement to attend college.
Exploring Alternatives: Trade Schools and Vocational Training
Given the challenges some men face in traditional academic settings, alternative pathways like trade schools and vocational training are gaining recognition. Nick Cato, for example, found that trade school was the logical next step. He now works as an HVAC technician, making $22 an hour. He has benefits, such as paid time off, and his coworkers and clients treat him with respect. Plus, there are clear pathways for growth: new skills to learn, management and leadership roles that come with wage gains. Some programs, like ADTC, are beginning to change that. In 2020, the nonprofit Social Finance began working with the school; since then, more than 1,100 people have graduated, achieving a median wage gain of over $17,000. More than 90 percent of those graduates are men, many of whom say they struggled with traditional education but thrived in ADTC’s focused, hands-on lessons.
The Broader Economic and Societal Impact
The struggles of men in education and the workforce have broader economic and societal implications. In 2016, 88 percent of prime-age men were either working or actively looking for work-down from 91.5 percent in January 2007, and from the peak of 98 percent in the 1950s. For men aged 25 to 54, not having a job strongly predicts unhappiness, suicide, divorce, and opioid use-more than it does for unemployed women, or even men in low-wage jobs. The phenomenon of male joblessness is concentrated in what they called the “eastern heartland,” the stretch of states from Mississippi to Michigan. In 2016, just 5 percent of men in Alexandria, Virginia (a wealthy suburb of Washington, D.C.), were not employed, compared to 51 percent in Flint, Michigan.
Addressing the Challenges
To address these challenges, researchers and policymakers are increasingly turning their attention to understanding the issues facing boys and men. The American Institute for Boys and Men (AIBM) encourages more research focused on describing and analyzing these trends. Some researchers believe that male role models might play a significant role in shaping boys’ trajectories-whether as fathers, teachers, coaches, or others.
Recent Trends in Enrollment and Employment
In October 2024, 2.0 million recent high school graduates were enrolled in college. The labor force participation rate for recent high school graduates enrolled in college in October 2024 was 41.2 percent. The unemployment rate for recent high school graduates not enrolled in college was 66.4 percent. Between October 2023 and October 2024, 606,000 young people dropped out of high school. In October 2024, 17.4 million people ages 16 to 24 were not enrolled in school. The labor force participation rate of youth not enrolled in school was 78.5 percent. Among employed recent high school graduates not enrolled in school, 868,000 (or 69.6 percent) were employed in October 2024. Among recent bachelor's degree recipients, 25.2 percent were enrolled in school in October 2024.
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