Back to School: The Gender Gap In Higher Education and the Decline in International Enrollment

This month, Public Insight focuses on young men and international students—two groups of students that aren’t often considered underserved, but nonetheless face challenges that can make it hard to stay enrolled.

Drawing primarily on the latest data from Public Agenda about young men’s perspectives of higher education and from the Institute of International Education about institutions’ perspectives on international student recruitment, this edition offers timely insights into these two groups as students head back to school.

Recent data indicate that women continue to outnumber men in college enrollment and degree attainment. Researchers have offered several explanations for this discrepancy, including wage gap, differences in academic performance in high school, and the possibility that men and women perceive college differently. But a recent Public Agenda survey of more than 3,500 adults suggests that young men are mostly similar to—and, in some cases, even more optimistic than— young women in their views of higher education.

More than half of young men (57 percent) and young women (53 percent) say earning a four-year degree is more important or just as important today for securing a well-paying job as it was ten years ago. Young men are split on whether a college degree will be necessary to get a good job over the next decade, as well as whether college is a questionable investment or still the best path for those looking to get ahead and succeed. Young women are somewhat more skeptical: 57 percent view college as a questionable investment, compared with 43 percent who think it’s still the best investment. Still, both groups overwhelmingly recognize the value of a degree in today’s economy: Eight in ten young men and young women believe people with a four-year degree can get a well-paying job.

However, 22 percent of young men say they did not seriously consider colleges after high school because they didn’t think it was the right choice for them, compared with just 11 percent of young women. That figure rises to 28 percent among young men whose parents did not attend college. For those who chose not to enroll, the decision wasn’t necessarily a reflection of how they value a college degree. Instead, affordability, uncertainty about what to study, and preference for working were among the top reasons they opted out.

At the same time, 70 percent of young men believe that men with college degrees are viewed as smarter and more professional. Among young men without degrees who are not currently enrolled in college, around half report that they have missed out on job opportunities, earned less money, or felt looked down on because they didn’t have a degree. While eight in ten young men without a degree would like to earn one, many of the same barriers that kept them from enrolling in the first place continue to stand in their way.

If there’s one thing I would take away from the survey, it’s this: young men still value higher education and the opportunities a college degree can provide—, but they want to know that the investment will pay off. Apart from addressing concerns about affordability, these findings highlight the need for better guidance and more counseling to help young men understand their options and identify which higher education pathway will meet their needs.

International students have become an unfortunate target of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Since last year, they have faced revocations of student visas and shifting policies governing how long they can remain in the country. As a result, international students have had to navigate an immense amount of uncertainty and scrutiny simply to remain in good standing and continue their studies as visiting students.

It is, therefore, reassuring to know that most colleges and universities remain committed to supporting and recruiting international students, according to the latest findings from the snapshot survey conducted by the Institute of International Education. Released this summer, the survey includes responses from 585 colleges and universities across the country and finds that international student recruitment remains a priority for most institutions: 22 percent consider it a high priority, while another 43 percent cited it as a moderate priority.

Most institutions surveyed prioritize support for current international students on campus, focusing on providing guidance for students to maintain their status (92 percent) and advising sessions (91 percent). Many also provide mental health resources (64 percent) and put in place programs that help international students connect with their peers (46 percent).

A majority of colleges report a decline in applications to both undergraduate (60 percent) and graduate programs (65 percent), and many also anticipate a decline in international enrollment this year as well. More than half (53 percent) expect either a slight or significant decline, with most citing visa delays or denials as a contributing factor. Even amid these challenges, however, the survey reports that many colleges still maintain their international recruitment efforts and are adapting to meet students’ needs while advancing their institutional priorities.