The decline of the college-educated American man

Most high school graduates in the U.S. enroll in college, as has been the case for the past half century. But in recent decades, women have outpaced men.

The gender gap becomes starker at four-year colleges. In 2022 only 42% of undergraduates were men compared to 47% of the student body in 2011, according to Pew Research Center. Meanwhile, at two-year colleges, the gender figures have remained stable, with men accounting for 49% of the population in 2022, up from 48% in 2011.

"I do notice that a lot of young men don't want to go to college," explained Osirus Polachart, a college counselor who works with high school students at Amethod Public Schools in Richmond, California, where a majority of the students are Latino. "What I notice from most of these kids at my school is that young men, especially in Latino households, are primarily concerned with, 'What can you do for our family right now?' College takes too long to make money because you have to do a minimum of four years until you begin looking for a job, so many of our kids head to work with their parents right after high school."

A 2021 Brookings Institution report noted that the gender gap is exacerbated by the fact that women complete four-year degrees in greater numbers—and do so more quickly. "Men are also less likely to graduate high school in the first place and less likely to complete college after enrolling," the authors wrote.

The result is lopsided. For instance, NCES data showed more than 1.1 million women earned a bachelor's degree in 2018-19 compared to fewer than 860,000 men.

Polachart said that among the students he works with, getting a college education isn't considered a "manly" pursuit. "A lot of our young men then think that college is essentially for women who aren't going into blue-collar jobs," he said. "My students mainly prioritize vocational schools rather than college because through a vocation they can get that blue collar job that pays well."

For a growing number of young men, college has lost its luster or seems unattainable. It has left analysts, administrators, advisers, and more than a few college marketing departments struggling to figure out what young men want when it comes to higher education.

The reasons for not choosing college are myriad, but many young men can't afford the hefty investment or can't wait for a long-term payoff. A 2021 Pew Research Center survey found many more young men than young women didn't think a degree was necessary for the kind of work they wanted to do or simply didn't want to go to college. Moreover, as college attendance has fallen, enrollment in certificate programs has grown.

This shift has coincided with increasing tuition prices and growing student loan debt for many Americans. A traditional four-year college education presents a tremendous financial burden that can put it out of reach or encourage alternative paths. The average annual tuition, fees, room, and board for a public four-year college in 2022-23 was about $22,000, while private nonprofit colleges cost almost $53,000, according to NCES. In addition, the average undergraduate borrows $32,362 to obtain a bachelor's degree from a public institution, according to the Education Data Initiative.

Arielle Santos, an academic counselor at the University of Washington, said there are "rumblings of students feeling more disenchanted with going to university," though she noted that this seems equally true for men and women.

With worries about the economy, white-collar layoffs, and an artificial intelligence takeover, more Americans are seeking trade jobs, which may offer better job security and work-life balance. These young people are reacting to what's happening around them, and some are responding to their own experiences. "In my role, I just see a trend in general of students questioning whether this is all worth it," Santos said, adding that students who also work part-time seem the most dedicated.

For those who do take the path to higher learning, she recommended starting at a community college to save money. Those unsure can take a gap year before or during college; each student's path should be individualized.

"If possible, students should try to find part-time jobs or internship experiences," Santos said. "The skills you gain alongside the major you pursue makes all the difference in how your after-graduation experience will be."

Polachart similarly tells his high school seniors to keep open minds when considering their options. "There is so much college has to offer," he said. "You can still help your family while you're in college. Also, eventually, you'll find out that the higher-paying jobs usually are offered to those with an education, so you might as well get it done now while you're young."

Story editing by Mike Taylor. Additional editing by Elisa Huang. Copy editing by Tim Bruns.