Alabama Colleges Gender Ratio Trends (2015-2025)
Total college enrollment in Alabama has reached 223,318 students, marking a increase of 10,811 students over the past decade. During this period, the gender gap in higher education continued to widen: the gender ratio decreased from 79.95 to 73.95 male students per 100 female students, reflecting a strong relative growth in female college enrollment.
For the academic year 2024-2025, Alabama Colleges enrollment is approximately 42.51% male (94,940 males) and 57.49% female (128,378 females).
- Public vs Private:
- Public: 69.55 male students per 100 female students
- Private not-for-profit: 68.99 male students per 100 female students
- Private for-profit: 140.57 male students per 100 female students
- Comparison: In Alabama, public colleges have a gender ratio of 69.55, compared with 68.99 at private colleges and 140.57 at private for-profit colleges. Ratios are similar across school types.
- Undergraduate vs Graduate:
- Undergraduate: 77.59 male students per 100 female students
- Graduate: 63.65 male students per 100 female students
- Comparison:In Alabama, 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: 74.70 male students per 100 female students
- Part-time: 71.48 male students per 100 female students
- Comparison: Full-time and part-time students in Alabama have similar male-to-female ratios, indicating a comparable gender distribution across both enrollment types.
Male to Female Student Ratio Trends
From 2015 to 2025, total enrollment at Alabama Colleges increased by 10,811 students, from 212,507 to 223,318. Male enrollment increased by 527 students, while female enrollment increased by 10,284 students. The number of male students per 100 female students decreased, changing from 79.95 to 73.95.
Over this period, male enrollment fluctuated year over year, while female enrollment kept increasing.
Males per 100 Female Students Ratio Trends in Alabama
| Year | Total Students | Male Students | Female Students | Males per 100 Female Students |
| 2014-15 | 212,507 | 94,413 (44.43%) | 118,094 (55.57%) | 79.95 |
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| 2015-16 | 213,524 | 94,587 (44.30%) | 118,937 (55.70%) | 79.53 |
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| 2016-17 | 217,461 | 96,007 (44.15%) | 121,454 (55.85%) | 79.05 |
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| 2017-18 | 221,008 | 96,636 (43.73%) | 124,372 (56.27%) | 77.70 |
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| 2018-19 | 223,578 | 96,593 (43.20%) | 126,985 (56.80%) | 76.07 |
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| 2019-20 | 222,644 | 95,148 (42.74%) | 127,496 (57.26%) | 74.63 |
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| 2020-21 | 220,550 | 92,900 (42.12%) | 127,650 (57.88%) | 72.78 |
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| 2021-22 | 216,811 | 90,575 (41.78%) | 126,236 (58.22%) | 71.75 |
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| 2022-23 | 214,910 | 90,349 (42.04%) | 124,561 (57.96%) | 72.53 |
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| 2023-24 | 220,765 | 94,243 (42.69%) | 126,522 (57.31%) | 74.49 |
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| 2024-25 | 223,318 | 94,940 (42.51%) | 128,378 (57.49%) | 73.95 |
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| Average | 240,708 | 103,639 (43.06%) | 137,069 (56.94%) | 75.61 |
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 Alabama Colleges by school control.
- Public: The ratio decreased by 5.02 points, from 74.57 in 2014-15 to 69.55 in 2024-25. Male enrollment went from 70,247 (42.7% of total enrollment) to 74,562 (41.0% of total enrollment), and female enrollment went from 94,200 (57.3% of total enrollment) to 107,205 (59.0% of total enrollment). The average ratio was 71.20 males per 100 female students.
- Private nonprofit: The ratio decreased by 7.36 points, from 76.35 in 2014-15 to 68.99 in 2024-25. Male enrollment went from 11,180 (43.3% of total enrollment) to 9,045 (40.8% of total enrollment), and female enrollment went from 14,643 (56.7% of total enrollment) to 13,111 (59.2% of total enrollment). The average ratio was 69.39 males per 100 female students.
- Private for-profit: The ratio increased by 10.75 points, from 129.82 in 2014-15 to 140.57 in 2024-25. Male enrollment went from 14,406 (56.5% of total enrollment) to 11,333 (58.4% of total enrollment), and female enrollment went from 11,097 (43.5% of total enrollment) to 8,062 (41.6% of total enrollment). The average ratio was 135.58 males per 100 female students.
Comparing school types, Private for-profit schools had the highest latest ratio (140.57), while Private nonprofit schools had the lowest (68.99), a gap of 71.59 points. Private for-profit schools saw the largest shift over the period (+10.75 points).
Bottom line: Male students' share of total enrollment tends tofall 1.7 points from 42.7% to 41.0% at Public colleges and fall 2.5 points from 43.3% to 40.8% at Private nonprofit colleges. Female students' share of total enrollment tends to rise 1.7 points from 57.3% to 59.0% at Public colleges, rise 2.5 points from 56.7% to 59.2% at Private nonprofit colleges over the period.
Males per 100 Female Students Ratio By School Control in Alabama
| Year | Public | Private nonprofit | Private for-profit |
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| Male | Female | Ratio | Male | Female | Ratio | Male | Female | Ratio |
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| 2014-15 | 70,247 | 94,200 | 74.57 | 11,180 | 14,643 | 76.35 | 14,406 | 11,097 | 129.82 |
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| 2015-16 | 70,796 | 95,189 | 74.37 | 11,149 | 14,752 | 75.58 | 13,846 | 10,433 | 132.71 |
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| 2016-17 | 72,542 | 97,461 | 74.43 | 10,353 | 14,716 | 70.35 | 13,390 | 9,747 | 137.38 |
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| 2017-18 | 73,402 | 99,933 | 73.45 | 10,486 | 15,290 | 68.58 | 12,869 | 9,373 | 137.30 |
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| 2018-19 | 72,999 | 101,858 | 71.67 | 10,425 | 15,523 | 67.16 | 13,091 | 9,637 | 135.84 |
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| 2019-20 | 72,506 | 102,375 | 70.82 | 10,239 | 15,325 | 66.81 | 12,329 | 9,814 | 125.63 |
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| 2020-21 | 71,514 | 104,132 | 68.68 | 9,517 | 14,748 | 64.53 | 11,812 | 8,808 | 134.11 |
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| 2021-22 | 70,559 | 104,181 | 67.73 | 9,483 | 14,141 | 67.06 | 10,467 | 7,685 | 136.20 |
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| 2022-23 | 70,962 | 103,662 | 68.46 | 9,127 | 13,470 | 67.76 | 10,260 | 7,429 | 138.11 |
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| 2023-24 | 72,885 | 104,841 | 69.52 | 9,327 | 13,310 | 70.08 | 12,031 | 8,371 | 143.72 |
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| 2024-25 | 74,562 | 107,205 | 69.55 | 9,045 | 13,111 | 68.99 | 11,333 | 8,062 | 140.57 |
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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 Alabama Colleges by student level.
- Undergraduate: The males per 100 female students ratio decreased by 7.06 points, from 84.65 to 77.59. 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 remained unchanged, from 64.47 to 63.65.
- Over the period, the male to female ratio decreased more for graduate students than for undergraduate students, indicating a greater increase of female enrollment among graduate students compared to undergraduate students.
Males per 100 Female Students Ratio by Student Level in Alabama
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate | Difference |
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| 2014-15 | 84.65 | 64.47 | 20.18 |
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| 2015-16 | 84.02 | 64.59 | 19.43 |
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| 2016-17 | 83.39 | 64.51 | 18.88 |
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| 2017-18 | 82.19 | 62.93 | 19.26 |
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| 2018-19 | 80.80 | 60.98 | 19.82 |
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| 2019-20 | 79.68 | 59.12 | 20.56 |
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| 2020-21 | 78.20 | 57.55 | 20.65 |
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| 2021-22 | 76.92 | 57.66 | 19.26 |
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| 2022-23 | 77.16 | 59.68 | 17.48 |
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| 2023-24 | 78.55 | 62.93 | 15.62 |
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| 2024-25 | 77.59 | 63.65 | 13.94 |
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| Average | 80.29 | 61.64 | 18.64 |
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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 Alabama Colleges by enrollment status.
Overall, the male per female ratio for full-time students is 75.73 and for part-time students is 75.48 males per 100 female students.
- Full-time: The males per 100 female students ratio decreased by 4.46 points, from 79.16 to 74.70. 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 10.87 points, from 82.35 to 71.48. 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 part-time students than for full-time students, indicating a greater increase of female enrollment among part-time students compared to full-time students.
Males per 100 Female Students Ratio by Enrollment Status in Alabama
| Year | Full-time | Part-time | Difference |
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| 2014-15 | 79.16 | 82.35 | -3.19 |
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| 2015-16 | 78.87 | 81.59 | -2.72 |
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| 2016-17 | 79.10 | 78.86 | 0.24 |
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| 2017-18 | 77.56 | 78.17 | -0.61 |
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| 2018-19 | 75.99 | 76.33 | -0.34 |
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| 2019-20 | 74.59 | 74.75 | -0.16 |
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| 2020-21 | 72.83 | 72.63 | 0.20 |
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| 2021-22 | 72.23 | 70.31 | 1.92 |
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| 2022-23 | 73.05 | 70.92 | 2.13 |
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| 2023-24 | 75.00 | 72.87 | 2.13 |
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| 2024-25 | 74.70 | 71.48 | 3.22 |
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| Average | 75.73 | 75.48 | 0.26 |
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