A Glimpse at Women and Higher Education in Utah

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

SquareTwo

Volume

3

Issue

3

Publication Date

8-1-2010

Abstract

Since 1940, Utah has consistently been above the national average in the percentage of adults holding bachelor’s degrees or higher. However, in the last two decades Utah has lost its advantage, and this is particularly true for women in the state. From 1940 to 2000 the educational attainment of Utah women was actually higher than the national average (Utah Foundation, 2009). Conversely, in 2001 Utah women fell below the national average, and the trend has continued. In 1987, approximately 31 percent of the state’s 18–24-year-old female population attended postsecondary institutions (e.g., colleges, universities, and technical schools) compared to only 26 percent nationally (see Figure 1). The participation of Utah women in higher education continued to increase until 1993, when the percentage began decreasing. By 2001 the percentage of Utah women enrolled in postsecondary education decreased to the point that the national percentage surpassed the Utah percentage. It is important to note that the decline in Utah’s ranking is not because fewer Utah women are enrolled in college, but because the percentage of females enrolled in the state declined.

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