NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — A new University of Tennessee study highlights a growing divide between young men and women in college, work, and use of leisure time, drawing attention to the differing paths between them compared to years past.
The report, released by UT’s Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research, found that in 2023, women ages 18 to 24 were 10.5 percentage points more likely to be enrolled in college than men. This was an increase of about two points since the mid-2010s.
Researchers say that while higher eighth-grade reading and math proficiency may explain a portion of this gap, most of the difference remains unexplained. Factors like disability status had a minor role, and political or economic conditions showed no significant effect…