Tracking the Progress of Women’s Enrollments in Higher Education

Data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that women now make up 57 percent of all enrollments in higher education in the United States. But not that long ago, women’s presence in higher education was far below the level that exists today. In 1950, women made up less than one third of all enrollments in colleges and universities across the United States. It was in 1979 when a majority of total enrollments were women for the first time.

Today, there are nearly 12 million women enrolled in higher educational institutions in the United States. For men, slightly more than 9 million are enrolled.