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Title:  Postsecondary Participation Rates by Sex and Race/Ethnicity: 1974-2003
Description: This Issue Brief examines participation in postsecondary education among women and men and among different racial/ethnic groups, from 1974 to 2003. Participation rates are defined here as the proportion of 18- to 24-year-olds who are enrolled in or have completed postsecondary education. Over this time period, the participation rates of young women and of young Whites outpaced that of their male and minority counterparts, so that by 2003 young women had a higher participation rate than young men (reversing the pattern in 1974) and the 1974 gaps in participation rates favoring young Whites over Hispanics grew larger. In 2003, the gender gaps in participation were not significantly different across racial/ethnic groups, nor were racial/ethnic gaps different across gender groups. Moreover, the 10-percentage point gender gap in 2003 was smaller than the racial/ethnic gaps between Whites and Blacks (15 percentage points) and between Whites and Hispanics (23 percentage points).
Online Availability:
Cover Date: March 2005
Web Release: March 30, 2005
Print Release:
Publication #: NCES 2005028
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General Ordering Information
Center/Program: NCES
Authors:
Type of Product: Issue Brief
Survey/Program Areas: Current Population Survey, October (CPS)
Keywords:
Questions: For questions about the content of this Issue Brief, please contact:
Rebecca Bielamowicz.