California Colleges Gender Ratio Trends (2015-2025)
Total college enrollment in California has reached 1,483,838 students, marking a increase of 79,838 students over the past decade. During this period, the gender gap in higher education continued to widen: the gender ratio decreased from 80.27 to 76.63 male students per 100 female students, reflecting a strong relative growth in female college enrollment.
For the academic year 2024-2025, California Colleges enrollment is approximately 43.38% male (643,744 males) and 56.62% female (840,094 females).
- Public vs Private:
- Public: 81.22 male students per 100 female students
- Private not-for-profit: 70.46 male students per 100 female students
- Private for-profit: 57.91 male students per 100 female students
- Comparison: In California, public colleges have a gender ratio of 81.22, compared with 70.46 at private colleges and 57.91 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: 79.44 male students per 100 female students
- Graduate: 67.28 male students per 100 female students
- Comparison:In California, 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: 75.31 male students per 100 female students
- Part-time: 80.64 male students per 100 female students
- Comparison: Full-time students have a lower male-to-female ratio than part-time students, indicating greater male representation in part-time higher education programs In California.
Male to Female Student Ratio Trends
From 2015 to 2025, total enrollment at California Colleges increased by 79,838 students, from 1,404,000 to 1,483,838. Male enrollment increased by 18,597 students, while female enrollment increased by 61,241 students. The number of male students per 100 female students decreased, changing from 80.27 to 76.63.
Over this period, male enrollment fluctuated year over year, while female enrollment kept increasing.
Males per 100 Female Students Ratio Trends in California
| Year | Total Students | Male Students | Female Students | Males per 100 Female Students |
|---|
| 2014-15 | 1,404,000 | 625,147 (44.53%) | 778,853 (55.47%) | 80.27 |
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| 2015-16 | 1,414,408 | 630,570 (44.58%) | 783,838 (55.42%) | 80.45 |
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| 2016-17 | 1,432,234 | 635,306 (44.36%) | 796,928 (55.64%) | 79.72 |
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| 2017-18 | 1,454,008 | 639,901 (44.01%) | 814,107 (55.99%) | 78.60 |
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| 2018-19 | 1,462,427 | 638,069 (43.63%) | 824,358 (56.37%) | 77.40 |
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| 2019-20 | 1,469,723 | 637,128 (43.35%) | 832,595 (56.65%) | 76.52 |
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| 2020-21 | 1,475,416 | 630,421 (42.73%) | 844,995 (57.27%) | 74.61 |
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| 2021-22 | 1,486,881 | 638,783 (42.96%) | 848,098 (57.04%) | 75.32 |
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| 2022-23 | 1,441,360 | 616,430 (42.77%) | 824,930 (57.23%) | 74.73 |
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| 2023-24 | 1,463,320 | 633,428 (43.29%) | 829,892 (56.71%) | 76.33 |
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| 2024-25 | 1,483,838 | 643,744 (43.38%) | 840,094 (56.62%) | 76.63 |
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| Average | 1,598,762 | 696,893 (43.59%) | 901,869 (56.41%) | 77.27 |
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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 California Colleges by school control.
- Public: The ratio decreased by 4.24 points, from 85.46 in 2014-15 to 81.22 in 2024-25. Male enrollment went from 439,597 (46.1% of total enrollment) to 458,040 (44.8% of total enrollment), and female enrollment went from 514,397 (53.9% of total enrollment) to 563,935 (55.2% of total enrollment). The average ratio was 81.85 males per 100 female students.
- Private nonprofit: The ratio decreased by 3.04 points, from 73.50 in 2014-15 to 70.46 in 2024-25. Male enrollment went from 131,125 (42.4% of total enrollment) to 144,789 (41.3% of total enrollment), and female enrollment went from 178,407 (57.6% of total enrollment) to 205,503 (58.7% of total enrollment). The average ratio was 70.91 males per 100 female students.
- Private for-profit: The ratio decreased by 12.23 points, from 70.13 in 2014-15 to 57.91 in 2024-25. Male enrollment went from 68,145 (41.2% of total enrollment) to 40,915 (36.7% of total enrollment), and female enrollment went from 97,166 (58.8% of total enrollment) to 70,656 (63.3% of total enrollment). The average ratio was 61.76 males per 100 female students.
Comparing school types, Public schools had the highest latest ratio (81.22), while Private for-profit schools had the lowest (57.91), a gap of 23.31 points. Private for-profit schools saw the largest shift over the period (-12.23 points).
Bottom line: Male students' share of total enrollment tends tofall 1.3 points from 46.1% to 44.8% at Public colleges and fall 1.0 points from 42.4% to 41.3% at Private nonprofit colleges. Female students' share of total enrollment tends to rise 1.3 points from 53.9% to 55.2% at Public colleges, rise 1.0 points from 57.6% to 58.7% at Private nonprofit colleges over the period.
Males per 100 Female Students Ratio By School Control in California
| Year | Public | Private nonprofit | Private for-profit |
|---|
| Male | Female | Ratio | Male | Female | Ratio | Male | Female | Ratio |
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| 2014-15 | 439,597 | 514,397 | 85.46 | 131,125 | 178,407 | 73.50 | 68,145 | 97,166 | 70.13 |
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| 2015-16 | 451,534 | 528,419 | 85.45 | 129,384 | 179,756 | 71.98 | 61,671 | 84,686 | 72.82 |
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| 2016-17 | 457,816 | 539,977 | 84.78 | 130,632 | 183,430 | 71.22 | 52,930 | 80,065 | 66.11 |
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| 2017-18 | 465,861 | 558,669 | 83.39 | 129,432 | 185,954 | 69.60 | 50,208 | 75,104 | 66.85 |
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| 2018-19 | 464,761 | 564,203 | 82.37 | 129,910 | 188,845 | 68.79 | 45,446 | 73,689 | 61.67 |
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| 2019-20 | 463,803 | 570,293 | 81.33 | 129,560 | 190,935 | 67.86 | 45,434 | 73,561 | 61.76 |
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| 2020-21 | 444,930 | 574,854 | 77.40 | 149,048 | 203,927 | 73.09 | 37,978 | 68,351 | 55.56 |
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| 2021-22 | 441,140 | 563,061 | 78.35 | 157,204 | 211,805 | 74.22 | 41,865 | 75,250 | 55.63 |
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| 2022-23 | 437,984 | 549,330 | 79.73 | 139,030 | 202,962 | 68.50 | 39,416 | 72,638 | 54.26 |
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| 2023-24 | 448,453 | 554,275 | 80.91 | 144,007 | 203,285 | 70.84 | 40,968 | 72,332 | 56.64 |
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| 2024-25 | 458,040 | 563,935 | 81.22 | 144,789 | 205,503 | 70.46 | 40,915 | 70,656 | 57.91 |
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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 California Colleges by student level.
- Undergraduate: The males per 100 female students ratio decreased by 1.59 points, from 81.03 to 79.44. 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 10.02 points, from 77.30 to 67.28. 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 in California
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate | Difference |
|---|
| 2014-15 | 81.03 | 77.30 | 3.73 |
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| 2015-16 | 81.51 | 76.33 | 5.18 |
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| 2016-17 | 81.14 | 74.26 | 6.88 |
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| 2017-18 | 80.41 | 72.01 | 8.40 |
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| 2018-19 | 79.51 | 69.89 | 9.62 |
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| 2019-20 | 78.91 | 68.13 | 10.78 |
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| 2020-21 | 77.13 | 66.18 | 10.95 |
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| 2021-22 | 78.39 | 65.60 | 12.79 |
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| 2022-23 | 77.83 | 64.88 | 12.95 |
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| 2023-24 | 79.28 | 66.54 | 12.74 |
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| 2024-25 | 79.44 | 67.28 | 12.16 |
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| Average | 79.51 | 69.85 | 9.65 |
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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 California Colleges by enrollment status.
Overall, the male per female ratio for full-time students is 75.97 and for part-time students is 81.37 males per 100 female students.
- Full-time: The males per 100 female students ratio decreased by 3.49 points, from 78.80 to 75.31. 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 4.19 points, from 84.83 to 80.64. It means that more female students were enrolled over the period than male students for part-time students.
Males per 100 Female Students Ratio by Enrollment Status in California
| Year | Full-time | Part-time | Difference |
|---|
| 2014-15 | 78.80 | 84.83 | -6.03 |
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| 2015-16 | 78.89 | 85.23 | -6.34 |
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| 2016-17 | 78.07 | 84.79 | -6.72 |
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| 2017-18 | 77.46 | 82.08 | -4.62 |
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| 2018-19 | 76.49 | 80.20 | -3.71 |
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| 2019-20 | 75.72 | 78.98 | -3.26 |
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| 2020-21 | 72.88 | 79.44 | -6.56 |
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| 2021-22 | 73.39 | 80.82 | -7.43 |
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| 2022-23 | 73.71 | 77.65 | -3.94 |
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| 2023-24 | 74.96 | 80.36 | -5.40 |
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| 2024-25 | 75.31 | 80.64 | -5.33 |
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| Average | 75.97 | 81.37 | -5.39 |
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