More Black Females Graduating From HBCUs Than Black Males


Publicly funded historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) admitted, enrolled, and matriculated larger numbers of African American females than males between 1996 and 2006, according to recently released data.

While female undergraduate enrollment has increased by 10.4% between 1996-2006, male undergraduate enrollment increased 3.8%, according to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s Demographic Report, which was released Monday.

The report, which surveyed 47 schools about demographics at public HBCUs during the 2006-2007 school year and compared the results with previous years, shows that between 2001 and 2006 undergraduate admission of males rose by 45%. Comparatively, admissions of women increased by 48%.

Undergraduate degrees conferred increased 6.4% for females and decreased 3.1% for males between 1996 and 2006.

“There have been a number of support programs–leadership institutes and incentive programs– that specifically focused on increasing the numbers of African American males that enrolled in college and are supported through graduation,” said Dwayne Ashley, president and CEO of the fund, an advocacy organization dedicated to public HBCUs.

For graduate school, women’s enrollment and graduation rates also outpaced men. While female graduate enrollment increased by 26.6% since 1996, male graduate enrollment increased by 6.1%.  The total number of graduate students enrolled increased 10% in the last 10 years, the highest it has ever been.

The annual report also tracked enrollment and graduation rates of other minority groups at HBCUs. The researchers found that HBCUs have become more diverse over the last 20 years. Although white male undergraduate enrollment has decreased, Hispanic male enrollment has increased, and Hispanic and Asian female enrollment has doubled.

To compile the report, the TMCF surveyed the 47 four-year public HBCUs that are members of the organization and received an 87% response rate. The TMCF also used data from the National Center for Education Statistics.


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