Factsheets

According to the Census’ American Community Survey, in 2021 50.5% of the total U.S. population were female. Among females aged 25 or over, 36.1% had earned a bachelor’s degree or higher. This rate is up from 27.9% in 2010 and is two percentage points higher than the rate for males.

• In Fall 2020, female students made up 58.6% of all postsecondary enrollment.
  • White female students made up 29.7%, Hispanic or Latino female students made up 11.8%, Black female students made up 8.2%, Asian female students made up 3.9%, female students of two or more races made up 2.4%, non-resident female students made up 2.1%, American Indian/Alaska Native female students made up 0.4%, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander female students made up 0.2% of all postsecondary enrollment.
• In 2020, 44.5% of the 18–24-year-old female population were enrolled in college compared to 40% of the overall U.S. population.
• Since Fall 2010, female student enrollment has declined from 11.97 million to 11.12 million, a 7.1% decrease:
  • Undergraduate female enrollment declined from 10.25 million to 9.2 million, a 10.2% decrease
  • Despite the overall enrollment decline, graduate enrollment for female students increased from 1.73 million to 1.92 million, an 11.2% increase
• Female students are much more likely to attend public versus private institutions of higher education.
  • In Fall 2020, 72% of female students attended public institutions:
    • 47% attended public four-year institutions
    • 25% attended public two-year institutions