The Gender Gap in Australian Higher Education

A new study appearing in the Australian Financial Review shows that women have increased their lead in higher educational attainment in Australia. The figures show that in 2011 there were 533,476 women enrolled in higher education in Australia compared to 399,050 men. In 2001 women received 52.6 percent of all degrees awarded. By 2011, the percentage of all degree earned by women increased to 54.8 percent.

Men still hold a lead in graduate degrees awarded. In 2011, men earned 54 percent of graduate degrees. But the gap is narrowing. In 2001, men earned 61 percent of all graduate degrees.