Birth control methods used by U.S. college students as of fall 2021

A survey of college students in the United States from the fall of 2021 found that the most common method of birth control among college students is the male condom, followed by birth control pills and the withdrawal method. At that time, about half of college students in the U.S. reported they used a male condom to prevent pregnancy the last time they had vaginal intercourse, while 46 percent used birth control pills.

Contraception among women in the United States

Similarly to college students, male condoms and oral contraceptives are the most common forms of contraception among all adult women in the United States. As of 2020, around 39 percent of women of reproductive age in the United States had used male condoms in the past year, while 37 percent had used oral contraceptives. These forms of contraception are more common among women aged 18 to 25 years, while the intrauterine device (IUD) is more common among women aged 36 to 49 years than any other age group. The number one reason U.S. women use contraception is to avoid pregnancy.

Contraceptive use among high school students

In 2019, around 49 percent of male and 39 percent of female high school students stated condoms were their primary contraceptive method. This was the most popular form of contraception among high school students, followed by birth control pills. Around 28 percent of high school students in grade 12 stated they used birth control pills as their primary method of birth control the last time they had sexual intercourse, compared to 26 percent of those in 11th grade, and 18 percent of 10th graders. When looking at the use of birth control pills among high school students by ethnicity/race, one finds that this method is much more common among White students than Hispanic or Black students.