In an impressive increase from years past, 39 percent of women in the United States had completed four years or more of college in 2022. This figure is up from 3.8 percent of women in 1940. A significant increase can also be seen in males, with 36.2 percent of the U.S. male population having completed four years or more of college in 2022, up from 5.5 percent in 1940.
4- and 2-year colleges
In the United States, college students are able to choose between attending a 2-year postsecondary program and a 4-year postsecondary program. Generally, attending a 2-year program results in an Associate’s Degree, and 4-year programs result in a Bachelor’s Degree.
Many 2-year programs are designed so that attendees can transfer to a college or university offering a 4-year program upon completing their Associate’s. Completion of a 4-year program is the generally accepted standard for entry-level positions when looking for a job.
Earnings after college
Factors such as gender, degree achieved, and the level of postsecondary education can have an impact on employment and earnings later in life. Some Bachelor’s degrees continue to attract more male students than female, particularly in STEM fields, while liberal arts degrees such as education, languages and literatures, and communication tend to see higher female attendance.
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US Census Bureau. (February 9, 2023). Percentage of the U.S. population who have completed four years of college or more from 1940 to 2022, by gender [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 01, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/184272/educational-attainment-of-college-diploma-or-higher-by-gender/?utm_campaign=mandiner_202011&utm_medium=link&utm_source=mandiner
US Census Bureau. "Percentage of the U.S. population who have completed four years of college or more from 1940 to 2022, by gender." Chart. February 9, 2023. Statista. Accessed September 01, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/184272/educational-attainment-of-college-diploma-or-higher-by-gender/?utm_campaign=mandiner_202011&utm_medium=link&utm_source=mandiner
US Census Bureau. (2023). Percentage of the U.S. population who have completed four years of college or more from 1940 to 2022, by gender. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: September 01, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/184272/educational-attainment-of-college-diploma-or-higher-by-gender/?utm_campaign=mandiner_202011&utm_medium=link&utm_source=mandiner
US Census Bureau. "Percentage of The U.S. Population Who Have Completed Four Years of College or More from 1940 to 2022, by Gender." Statista, Statista Inc., 9 Feb 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/184272/educational-attainment-of-college-diploma-or-higher-by-gender/?utm_campaign=mandiner_202011&utm_medium=link&utm_source=mandiner
US Census Bureau, Percentage of the U.S. population who have completed four years of college or more from 1940 to 2022, by gender Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/184272/educational-attainment-of-college-diploma-or-higher-by-gender/?utm_campaign=mandiner_202011&utm_medium=link&utm_source=mandiner (last visited September 01, 2024)
Percentage of the U.S. population who have completed four years of college or more from 1940 to 2022, by gender [Graph], US Census Bureau, February 9, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/184272/educational-attainment-of-college-diploma-or-higher-by-gender/?utm_campaign=mandiner_202011&utm_medium=link&utm_source=mandiner