Why are fewer and fewer men enrolling in college?

WAMU 88.5 | By Lauren Hamilton

Published August 27, 2024 at 8:18 AM EDT

People walk on the Princeton University campus in Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.

Colleges and universities around the country are back in session this week.But increasingly rare in the lecture halls and classrooms?

Men.

In just the last five years, the number of men enrolled in college nationwide dropped by more than 150,000, or almost 6 percent. That’s according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

And the U.S. Department of Education says the proportion of men who are college students is at a record-low of 41 percent.

Why are we seeing men’s college enrollment drop off year after year? And what programs are colleges putting in place to help get – and keep – men enrolled?

Lauren Hamilton