A Snapshot in Time of Gender Disparities in School Enrollments in the United States

New data from the U.S. Census Bureau offers a snapshot of school enrollments in the United States in the fall of 2019, before the onset of the global pandemic.

In October 2019, there were 37.8 million males over the age of 3 who were enrolled in school and 38.3 million girls and women. On a percentage basis, males were slightly more likely to be enrolled than women.

There are few gender differences in enrollment rates until we get to age groups of the traditional college student. In the 18-19 age group, 68.9 percent of women are enrolled in school compared to 65.5 percent of men. At the 20-21 age level, 57.0 percent of women are enrolled in school compared to 50.7 percent of men. In the traditional graduate school years of 22 to 29, women again outpace men in school enrollments.

After the age of 35, men are more likely than women to be enrolled in school.