2011-08-16-皮尤-Women_See_Value_and_Benefits_of_College_Men_Lag_on_Both_Fronts,_Survey_Finds_21页_260kb

Summary of the Pew Research Center Survey on College Education and Gender Trends

Core Content

This Pew Research Center survey, conducted in March 2011, explores the perceptions of the value, usefulness, and cost of college education among adults in the United States, with a particular focus on gender and racial differences in educational attainment.

Main Findings

Gender Differences in Perceptions of College Value

• Women are more likely than men to view the higher education system positively, with 50% of women rating it as excellent or good, compared to 37% of men.
• College-educated women are more likely than men to believe their education helped them grow personally and intellectually (73% vs. 64%).
• Women are more likely than men to say college was "very useful" in increasing their knowledge and helping them grow intellectually (81% vs. 67%).
• Women are more likely than men to say college was very useful in preparing them for a job or career (58% vs. 52%), though this difference is not statistically significant.

Affordability Concerns

• Women are more concerned about the affordability of college, with 14% believing most people can afford it, compared to 26% of men.
• Large majorities of both men and women (75%) say college is no longer affordable for most people.

Sources of Funding

• 40% of women with a bachelor’s degree say their parents paid for most of their education, compared to 29% of men.
• 24% of women and 27% of men paid for college themselves.
• 18% of women and 20% of men relied on student loans.
• Equal shares of women and men used scholarships or financial aid.

Public Perception of Gender Trends in College Graduation

• 52% of the public believe that more women than men graduating from college is a good thing for society.
• 46% believe that fewer men than women graduating is a bad thing.
• Men are more likely than women to view the trend as neutral (45% vs. 34%).
• Black Americans are more likely than others to view the trend negatively, with 16% thinking it is a bad thing and 42% seeing it as a good thing.

Importance of College Education

• 77% of respondents believe a college education is necessary for women to get ahead, compared to 68% for men.
• Men and women are similarly likely to agree that a college education is necessary for a man to get ahead (75% vs. 78%).
• College-educated adults are more likely than non-college graduates to believe a college education is necessary for both genders.

Educational Trends by Age

• Adults under 30 are less likely than older Americans to see the trend as a good thing (45% vs. 56%).
• Millennials are more likely than older adults to say the trend does not make much difference.

Racial and Ethnic Patterns in College Attainment

• Asian-Americans have the highest college completion rates, with 53% of those ages 25-29 having at least a bachelor’s degree in 2010.
• Whites (39%), Blacks (19%), and Hispanics (13%) have significantly lower completion rates.
• Women across all racial and ethnic groups are more likely than men to complete college, with the largest gap among Black adults, where 63% of college-educated young adults are women.

Historical Trends in College Enrollment and Completion

• Women have surpassed men in college enrollment and completion since 1992.
• Enrollment rates for women have more than doubled since 1967, while men's rates have increased more modestly.
• By 2010, 55% of college graduates ages 25-29 were women, compared to 45% men.

Key Information

• The survey was conducted among a nationally representative sample of 2,142 adults.
• Data sources include the Pew Research Center survey and the Current Population Surveys (CPS).
• Margin of error for the total sample is ±2.7 percentage points, and for college graduates is ±4.6 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
• Educational attainment has been on the rise for women, but affordability and perceptions of value remain a concern.
• Racial disparities persist in college completion, with Asian-Americans leading in attainment and Hispanics lagging behind.
• The gender gap in college completion is not uniform across all racial groups, with Black women being the most overrepresented among college graduates.

Conclusion

The survey highlights a growing gender gap in college education, with women not only enrolling and completing college more than men but also perceiving its value more positively. However, the affordability issue and the negative perception of men's declining educational attainment raise important concerns about the long-term implications of these trends. The findings also underscore racial disparities in college completion, suggesting that educational equity remains a challenge across different demographic groups.