Women now hold tertiary qualifications at a rate 13 percentage points higher than men across OECD countries — 55% versus 42% among 25–34 year-olds — and the gap is still growing. At the same time, 15-year-old boys outscore girls in mathematics by 9 PISA points on average, while girls lead in reading by 24 points. This article breaks down the male vs female education statistics shaping policy debates in 2026, drawing on verified data from OECD, UNESCO, and the National Center for Education Statistics.
Male vs Female Education Statistics: Key Numbers
- 55% of women aged 25–34 hold a tertiary qualification across OECD countries, compared to 42% of men.
- In the United States, women make up roughly 58% of postsecondary enrollment as of 2023.
- Girls scored 24 PISA points higher than boys in reading across 79 of 81 education systems assessed in 2022.
- Women account for only 30% of new entrants to STEM fields at the bachelor’s level in OECD countries.
- Tertiary-educated women earn, on average, 76% of what their male peers earn across OECD countries.
How Big Is the Tertiary Education Gap Between Men and Women?
The female advantage in higher education is not a recent development, but it has widened steadily. In 1972, men earned 56.4% of all bachelor’s degrees in the United States; by 2019, that figure had reversed to roughly 58% female and 42% male. From 2019 to 2020, male first-time college enrollment in the US fell by 5.1%, compared to under 1% for women.
Completion rates compound the enrollment gap. Across OECD countries, 75% of women who enter a bachelor’s program complete it within three years of the expected end date, against 63% of men. On-time completion — finishing exactly within the expected duration — sits at 48% for women and 37% for men.
| Measure | Women | Men | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| OECD average — tertiary attainment (ages 25–34, 2024) | 55% | 42% | +13 pp (women) |
| OECD average — bachelor’s as highest tertiary level | 29% | 22% | +7 pp (women) |
| United States — bachelor’s degree or higher (ages 25–34) | 47% | 37% | +10 pp (women) |
| US postsecondary enrollment share (2023) | ~58% | ~42% | — |
| Bachelor’s program completion within 3 years of expected end | 75% | 63% | +12 pp (women) |
| On-time completion rate | 48% | 37% | +11 pp (women) |
Source: OECD Education at a Glance 2025; National Center for Education Statistics 2023; National Student Clearinghouse Research Center 2024
Northern America shows the widest enrollment gap globally, with women exceeding men in tertiary enrollment by around 30 percentage points, according to the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Global Gender Gap Report. Norway records a similarly stark divide at the upper secondary level: 33% of younger men hold upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary as their highest qualification, compared to just 16% of younger women.
How Do Male and Female Students Compare on Standardized Tests?
The PISA 2022 assessment covered roughly 690,000 fifteen-year-olds across 81 countries. Boys led in mathematics in 40 of those 81 systems. Girls led in reading in 79 of 81. In science, no statistically significant difference appeared at the OECD average level.
The 24-point reading advantage for girls translates to roughly half a school year of learning by OECD’s conversion framework. Boys spend less time reading outside school, do more leisure internet use, and complete less homework — behavioral gaps that OECD research links directly to the reading score difference.
| Subject | Boys’ Average Advantage | Girls’ Average Advantage | Systems Where Girls Led |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | +9 points | — | Boys led in 40 of 81 |
| Reading | — | +24 points | 79 of 81 |
| Science | No significant difference | No significant difference | — |
| Creative Thinking | — | +3 points | All 81 |
Source: OECD PISA 2022 Results, Volumes I and III
In the United States specifically, female students scored 22 points above males in reading, while male students scored 13 points above females in mathematics — both figures close to the OECD average. Reading proficiency at 15 is a strong predictor of who goes on to enroll in and complete a university degree, which connects the secondary test score gaps to the tertiary enrollment gaps described above.
Male vs Female Education Statistics in STEM vs Non-STEM Fields
Women account for 58% of first-time tertiary graduates across all OECD countries. The split reverses in STEM. Women make up just 30% of new entrants to STEM fields at the bachelor’s level, and globally, women accounted for 35% of STEM graduates between 2018 and 2023 — a share that has been flat for a decade.
Only 15% of women entering higher education choose a STEM field, against 41% of men. Girls consistently rate their mathematics and science abilities below their actual test performance during secondary school, a self-confidence gap that OECD research identifies as one driver of the university-level underrepresentation. Women who do enter STEM programs also report higher rates of switching fields before graduation, citing isolation and a sense of not belonging.
| Field of Study | Female Share | Male Share |
|---|---|---|
| STEM — new entrants (bachelor’s level) | 30% | 70% |
| Health and welfare graduates | 77% | 23% |
| Education programmes | ~76% | ~24% |
| All tertiary graduates combined | 58% | 42% |
Source: OECD Education at a Glance 2025; UNESCO 2024 GEM Gender Report
STEM graduates earn higher starting salaries than graduates from education or health fields in most OECD labour markets. Women’s field-of-study choices at the tertiary level are one of the primary structural drivers of the earnings gap that persists even as their overall degree attainment surpasses men’s.
Does Higher Female Educational Attainment Close the Labour Market Gap?
Not fully. Women aged 25–34 with tertiary qualifications have an employment rate 6 percentage points below their male equivalents — roughly 84% versus 90%. The gap is far sharper at the bottom of the education ladder: women aged 25–34 without an upper secondary qualification have an employment rate of just 46%, against 71% for men in the same position.
On earnings, tertiary-educated women earn on average 76% of what their male peers earn across OECD countries. OECD research attributes the gap primarily to field-of-study differences — men are more likely to hold engineering, ICT, and other high-wage credentials — rather than to qualifications per se.
| Educational Level | Female Employment Rate | Male Employment Rate | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below upper secondary | 46% | 71% | −25 pp |
| Tertiary qualification | ~84% | ~90% | −6 pp |
| Earnings (tertiary-educated, all fields) | 76% of male earnings | — | −24% |
Source: OECD Education at a Glance 2025; OECD Gender, Education and Skills Report 2023
The 25-percentage-point employment gap for women without upper secondary qualifications is the sharpest single figure in the dataset. Educational non-completion carries a disproportionately severe economic penalty for women, which likely reinforces girls’ structural incentives to stay in education longer and complete degrees at higher rates than men.
How Do Male and Female Education Rates Vary by Country?
The OECD average conceals substantial variation. Estonia is the only OECD country with comparable 2019 and 2024 data where the female advantage in tertiary attainment narrowed by at least 5 percentage points. Ireland, Luxembourg, and Norway all recorded increases in overall tertiary attainment of 10 percentage points or more between 2019 and 2024.
Bulgaria, Turkey, Indonesia, India, and Peru remain exceptions where women are still more likely than men to lack an upper secondary qualification. Switzerland has historically been the only OECD country where men held a tertiary attainment advantage among younger adults, and Romania and the Slovak Republic saw tertiary attainment rates decline between 2019 and 2024 for at least one gender.
| Country / Region | Notable Pattern |
|---|---|
| Northern America | Women exceed men in tertiary enrollment by ~30 pp |
| Norway | 33% of younger men vs 16% of younger women hold only upper secondary as highest qualification |
| Estonia | Female tertiary attainment advantage narrowed by ≥5 pp between 2019 and 2024 |
| Bulgaria, Turkey, Indonesia | Women more likely than men to lack upper secondary qualification |
| Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway | Overall tertiary attainment rose 10+ pp between 2019 and 2024 |
| United States | Female share of bachelor’s degrees rose from 43.6% (1972) to ~58% (2019+) |
Source: OECD Education at a Glance 2025; World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report 2025; Harvard Magazine, May–June 2025
FAQ
Are women more educated than men globally?
In most high-income OECD countries, yes. Women aged 25–34 hold tertiary qualifications at a rate 13 percentage points higher than men on average. The gap runs the other way in countries including Bulgaria, Turkey, and Indonesia.
Do boys or girls perform better in math?
Boys scored an average of 9 PISA points higher than girls in mathematics across 81 education systems in 2022, leading in 40 of those systems. In the United States, the male math advantage was 13 points.
Why do fewer women study STEM?
OECD research points to a self-confidence gap: girls rate their math and science abilities below their actual test scores. Feelings of isolation in STEM programs and higher field-switching rates compound the gap at the university level.
Do women earn less than men despite having more degrees?
Yes. Tertiary-educated women earn an average of 76% of what their male peers earn across OECD countries. The primary driver is field of study — men are more likely to hold high-wage STEM credentials.
What share of US college students are female?
Women made up approximately 58% of US postsecondary enrollment in 2023, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. That ratio — roughly 6 women for every 4 men — is at a historic low for male enrollment.
Floyd is a language learning writer at LingoBright who specializes in vocabulary, grammar, and practical communication tips. His articles focus on simplifying complex language concepts and helping learners build real-world language skills through clear explanations and proven learning strategies.