SALT LAKE CITY (News4Utah) – The Women in the Economy Commission unveiled a report Tuesday detailing the state of higher education among women in Utah and found that while women in Utah are getting more education, they are still far behind their peers nationally.
Positive Key Findings
Utah women…
● Represent more than half of enrolled students at degree-granting institutions.
● Make up a greater proportion of enrollees in the 18-24 and 35-44 age groups.
● Edge out men in the categories of attaining some college, no degree; associate degree; and
bachelor’s degree.
● Complete shorter degrees (less than a bachelor’s degree) within 150% of normal time
compared to U.S. women.
● Have higher labor force participation rates compared to U.S. women. 61% compared to 59%
in nation in 2012.
Concerns
● Although 53% of Utah students enrolled in degree-granting postsecondary institutions are
women, Utah ranked 46th
in nation for female enrollment in 2015.
● In 2014, more than 40 percent of Utah women worked in just two occupational groups: office
and administrative support.
● Utah women pursue shorter programs and lower-paying fields of study than Utah men.
● Utah women face unique barriers to persistence leading to discrepancy between their
enrollment and completion of a degree.
● Utah women are less likely to pursue a STEM degree.
Find the full report here and watch the video above to hear from women about their experiences earning a graduate degree while raising children.
