U.S. Colleges Gender Ratio Trends (2015-2025)
Total college enrollment in the United States has reached 14,795,971 students, marking a increase of 1,180,931 students over the past decade. During this period, the gender gap in higher education continued to widen: the gender ratio decreased from 78.64 to 73.32 male students per 100 female students, reflecting a strong relative growth in female college enrollment.
For the academic year 2024-2025, U.S. Colleges enrollment is approximately 42.30% male (6,259,412 males) and 57.70% female (8,536,559 females).
- Public vs Private:
- Public: 76.97 male students per 100 female students
- Private not-for-profit: 72.63 male students per 100 female students
- Private for-profit: 45.66 male students per 100 female students
- Comparison: Public colleges have a gender ratio of 76.97, compared with 72.63 at private colleges and 45.66 at private for-profit colleges. Public colleges have the higher male-to-female ratio than private colleges (more female students attending private colleges relatively).
- Undergraduate vs Graduate:
- Undergraduate: 76.11 male students per 100 female students
- Graduate: 64.40 male students per 100 female students
- Comparison:Undergraduate students have a higher male-to-female ratio than graduate students, highlighting a higher proportion of female students pursuing advanced degrees.
- Full-Time vs Part-Time:
- Full-time: 76.52 male students per 100 female students
- Part-time: 66.32 male students per 100 female students
- Comparison: Full-time students have a higher male-to-female ratio than part-time students, indicating greater female representation in part-time higher education programs.
Male to Female Student Ratio Trends
From 2015 to 2025, total enrollment at U.S. Colleges increased by 1,180,931 students, from 13,615,040 to 14,795,971. Male enrollment increased by 265,914 students, while female enrollment increased by 915,017 students. The number of male students per 100 female students decreased, changing from 78.64 to 73.32.
Over this period, male enrollment fluctuated year over year, while female enrollment kept increasing.
Males per 100 Female Students Ratio Trends
| Year | Total Students | Male Students | Female Students | Males per 100 Female Students |
|---|
| 2014-15 | 13,615,040 | 5,993,498 (44.02%) | 7,621,542 (55.98%) | 78.64 |
|---|
| 2015-16 | 13,747,419 | 6,043,815 (43.96%) | 7,703,604 (56.04%) | 78.45 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | 13,837,904 | 6,054,085 (43.75%) | 7,783,819 (56.25%) | 77.78 |
|---|
| 2017-18 | 13,860,971 | 6,034,216 (43.53%) | 7,826,755 (56.47%) | 77.10 |
|---|
| 2018-19 | 13,923,416 | 6,005,796 (43.13%) | 7,917,620 (56.87%) | 75.85 |
|---|
| 2019-20 | 13,973,803 | 5,962,057 (42.67%) | 8,011,746 (57.33%) | 74.42 |
|---|
| 2020-21 | 14,002,715 | 5,878,994 (41.98%) | 8,123,721 (58.02%) | 72.37 |
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| 2021-22 | 13,894,590 | 5,827,515 (41.94%) | 8,067,075 (58.06%) | 72.24 |
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| 2022-23 | 14,146,834 | 5,955,269 (42.10%) | 8,191,565 (57.90%) | 72.70 |
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| 2023-24 | 14,411,854 | 6,100,993 (42.33%) | 8,310,861 (57.67%) | 73.41 |
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| 2024-25 | 14,795,971 | 6,259,412 (42.30%) | 8,536,559 (57.70%) | 73.32 |
|---|
| Average | 15,421,052 | 6,611,565 (42.87%) | 8,809,487 (57.13%) | 75.05 |
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Male per Female Ratio by School Control
The following is an analysis of the male per female ratio (male students per 100 female students) at U.S. Colleges by school control.
- Public: The ratio decreased by 5.21 points, from 82.18 in 2014-15 to 76.97 in 2024-25. Male enrollment went from 4,166,029 (45.1% of total enrollment) to 4,125,443 (43.5% of total enrollment), and female enrollment went from 5,069,354 (54.9% of total enrollment) to 5,359,615 (56.5% of total enrollment). The average ratio was 78.97 males per 100 female students.
- Private nonprofit: The ratio decreased by 1.91 points, from 74.54 in 2014-15 to 72.63 in 2024-25. Male enrollment went from 1,771,339 (42.7% of total enrollment) to 1,840,585 (42.1% of total enrollment), and female enrollment went from 2,376,459 (57.3% of total enrollment) to 2,534,343 (57.9% of total enrollment). The average ratio was 72.31 males per 100 female students.
- Private for-profit: The ratio decreased by 13.91 points, from 59.57 in 2014-15 to 45.66 in 2024-25. Male enrollment went from 415,883 (37.3% of total enrollment) to 293,384 (31.3% of total enrollment), and female enrollment went from 698,152 (62.7% of total enrollment) to 642,601 (68.7% of total enrollment). The average ratio was 49.93 males per 100 female students.
Comparing school types, Public schools had the highest latest ratio (76.97), while Private for-profit schools had the lowest (45.66), a gap of 31.32 points. Private for-profit schools saw the largest shift over the period (-13.91 points).
Bottom line: Male students' share of total enrollment tends tofall 1.6 points from 45.1% to 43.5% at Public colleges and stay flat from 42.7% to 42.1% at Private nonprofit colleges. Female students' share of total enrollment tends to rise 1.6 points from 54.9% to 56.5% at Public colleges, stay flat from 57.3% to 57.9% at Private nonprofit colleges over the period.
Males per 100 Female Students Ratio By School Control
| Year | Public | Private nonprofit | Private for-profit |
|---|
| Male | Female | Ratio | Male | Female | Ratio | Male | Female | Ratio |
|---|
| 2014-15 | 4,166,029 | 5,069,354 | 82.18 | 1,771,339 | 2,376,459 | 74.54 | 415,883 | 698,152 | 59.57 |
|---|
| 2015-16 | 4,216,958 | 5,119,075 | 82.38 | 1,786,270 | 2,408,875 | 74.15 | 380,825 | 649,866 | 58.60 |
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| 2016-17 | 4,240,524 | 5,174,389 | 81.95 | 1,781,435 | 2,425,716 | 73.44 | 327,853 | 613,471 | 53.44 |
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| 2017-18 | 4,233,105 | 5,209,380 | 81.26 | 1,775,929 | 2,440,295 | 72.78 | 299,762 | 575,423 | 52.09 |
|---|
| 2018-19 | 4,192,602 | 5,239,811 | 80.01 | 1,776,372 | 2,462,434 | 72.14 | 276,825 | 557,907 | 49.62 |
|---|
| 2019-20 | 4,154,087 | 5,277,887 | 78.71 | 1,765,000 | 2,476,370 | 71.27 | 271,486 | 573,948 | 47.30 |
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| 2020-21 | 4,029,106 | 5,317,387 | 75.77 | 1,750,861 | 2,480,988 | 70.57 | 271,972 | 598,974 | 45.41 |
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| 2021-22 | 3,962,514 | 5,239,036 | 75.63 | 1,763,892 | 2,489,729 | 70.85 | 267,527 | 587,181 | 45.56 |
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| 2022-23 | 3,942,605 | 5,145,602 | 76.62 | 1,746,033 | 2,466,742 | 70.78 | 266,631 | 579,221 | 46.03 |
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| 2023-24 | 4,014,151 | 5,200,575 | 77.19 | 1,804,956 | 2,496,561 | 72.30 | 281,886 | 613,725 | 45.93 |
|---|
| 2024-25 | 4,125,443 | 5,359,615 | 76.97 | 1,840,585 | 2,534,343 | 72.63 | 293,384 | 642,601 | 45.66 |
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Male per Female Ratio by Student Level
The following is an analysis of the male per female ratio (male students per 100 female students) at U.S. Colleges by student level.
- Undergraduate: The males per 100 female students ratio decreased by 4.47 points, from 80.58 to 76.11. It means that more female students were enrolled over the period than male students for Undergraduate programs.
- Graduate: The males per 100 female students ratio decreased by 7.34 points, from 71.74 to 64.40. It means that more female students were enrolled over the period than male students for Graduate programs.
- Over the period, the male to female ratio decreased more for undergraduate students than for graduate students, indicating a greater increase of female enrollment among undergraduate students compared to graduate students.
Males per 100 Female Students Ratio by Student Level
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate | Difference |
|---|
| 2014-15 | 80.58 | 71.74 | 8.84 |
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| 2015-16 | 80.39 | 71.59 | 8.80 |
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| 2016-17 | 79.94 | 70.24 | 9.70 |
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| 2017-18 | 79.54 | 68.76 | 10.78 |
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| 2018-19 | 78.46 | 67.13 | 11.33 |
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| 2019-20 | 77.12 | 65.53 | 11.59 |
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| 2020-21 | 75.09 | 63.77 | 11.32 |
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| 2021-22 | 75.11 | 63.54 | 11.57 |
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| 2022-23 | 75.39 | 64.23 | 11.16 |
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| 2023-24 | 76.05 | 64.99 | 11.06 |
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| 2024-25 | 76.11 | 64.40 | 11.71 |
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| Average | 77.62 | 66.90 | 10.71 |
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Male per Female Ratio by Enrollment Status
The following is an analysis of the male per female ratio (male students per 100 female students) at U.S. Colleges by enrollment status.
Overall, the male per female ratio for full-time students is 78.79 and for part-time students is 66.87 males per 100 female students.
- Full-time: The males per 100 female students ratio decreased by 6.03 points, from 82.55 to 76.52. It means that more female students were enrolled over the period than male students for full-time students.
- Part-time: The males per 100 female students ratio decreased by 3.23 points, from 69.55 to 66.32. It means that more female students were enrolled over the period than male students for part-time students.
- Over the period, the male to female ratio decreased more for full-time students than for part-time students, indicating a greater increase of female enrollment among full-time students compared to part-time students.
Males per 100 Female Students Ratio by Enrollment Status
| Year | Full-time | Part-time | Difference |
|---|
| 2014-15 | 82.55 | 69.55 | 13.00 |
|---|
| 2015-16 | 82.43 | 69.27 | 13.16 |
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| 2016-17 | 81.83 | 68.54 | 13.29 |
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| 2017-18 | 81.13 | 67.91 | 13.22 |
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| 2018-19 | 79.70 | 67.04 | 12.66 |
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| 2019-20 | 78.27 | 65.71 | 12.56 |
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| 2020-21 | 75.70 | 65.01 | 10.69 |
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| 2021-22 | 75.61 | 64.80 | 10.81 |
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| 2022-23 | 76.20 | 65.24 | 10.96 |
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| 2023-24 | 76.72 | 66.22 | 10.50 |
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| 2024-25 | 76.52 | 66.32 | 10.20 |
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| Average | 78.79 | 66.87 | 11.91 |
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