Women Are Graduating From College at a Higher Rate Than Men

New data on graduation rates from the U.S. Department of Education shows that at the nation’s largest universities that participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division I, the student graduation rate (for all students, not jut athletes) in 2013 is 63 percent. The graduation rate is defined as all students entering a particular institution who graduate from that same institution with six years. For men the graduation rate is 61 percent. The graduation rate for women is four percentage points higher at 65 percent.

For student athletes at these institutions, the graduation rate for all students is 81 percent. Many of these students are on athletic scholarship and thus financial concerns are not a factor in whether or not they stay in school and complete their degree. There is a larger gender gap for student athletes than for students in general. Some 88 percent of women student athletes go on to graduate compared to 75 percent of male student athletes. Lower graduation rates for male football and basketball players tend to drag down the overall rate for male student athletes.