REGENTS REPORT 

More Women Seek Education

The percentage of women college graduates is on the rise. According to the March 1997 Census report, "Educational Attainment in the United States," more women are earning college degrees than men. Since 1985 the college completion rate by men and women had been somewhat equal. In recent years women, desiring careers and realizing the economic value of education, have earned baccalaureate degrees in greater number than men.

Looking at the National Numbers

In 1997 just over 29 percent of American women age 25 to 29 had completed four or more years of college. In the same age bracket 26 percent of men had completed four or more years of college. While women lead the numbers for college completion in the 25 to 29 year old age bracket, men still hold a higher percentage of degrees earned for the total population.

Women Continue a Higher Growth Rate for Enrollment

Nationally the enrollment rate for women has continued to grow at a faster rate than for men. Between the years of 1982 and 1989, the growth rate for enrollment by women was two percent, five times that of the men’s growth rate of four tenths of a percent. Between the years of 1989 and 1995, men showed no growth in enrollment while women showed a percentage growth of eight tenths. Women’s enrollment growth is predicted to continue to be higher than that of men’s; however, the growth rate for enrollment by men is expected to increase.

South Dakota Universities Host a High Percentage of Women

The number of bachelor’s degrees awarded in South Dakota public universities since 1994 shows the continuing trend of higher graduation rate for women. In 1997-98 the number of women graduates exceeded the men graduates by eight percent.

The chart to the left shows bachelor’s degrees awarded by gender at the six South Dakota Universities for the 1997-1998 school year. All but one of the six universities show a higher graduation rate for women than men.

Current Enrollment at South Dakota Schools

Four of the six South Dakota state support universities exhibited higher rates of enrollment by women than men according to the 1998 Spring Enrollment Report. At Black Hills State University, Dakota State University, Northern State University, and University of South Dakota more women than men were seeking undergraduate degrees. Universities showing a higher male enrollment were South Dakota State University and South Dakota School of Minds and Technology. A complete summation of total enrollment shows 8,997 women and 8,862 men.

Along with the rest of the nation South Dakota has seen an increase in the number of women college graduates. This trend has been in effect for more than a decade and is expected to continue on into the next decade.