Education & Skills

By multiple measures, boys have fallen far behind in education

Over the last several decades, girls have overtaken boys by nearly every metric in educational outcomes. Today, boys are less prepared to start school and, at nearly every point in their K-12 school career, have lower GPAs than girls. Boys are also less likely to take advanced-placement courses and less likely to graduate high school. Women make made up the majority of students on America’s college campuses.

Girls are thriving–and that’s good news–but the data couldn’t be more clear. Something’s not working for boys.

The percentage point gap in school readiness between boys and girls at age 5.

Boys are three times as likely as girls to be expelled

2/3

of those in the top decile of high school GPA are girls, whereas 2/3 in the bottom decile are boys.

23%

The share of U.S. public school teachers who are male, down from 33% in 1980.

The percentage point gap between boys and girls receiving bachelor’s degrees.

Curated Content

Check out our resources related to education

Media

Associated Press

Boys graduate high school at lower rates than girls, with lifelong consequences.

Commentary

We need more apprenticeships

Richard Reeves, Will Secker

November 10, 2023

$Boy in classroom$

Commentary

The math gap that’s not what you think it is

Richard Reeves

July 26, 2023

Research Education & Skills

A group of young men are walking on a college campus. Painted in a water color style.

Degrees of Difference: Male College Enrollment and Completion

This brief explores the dimensions of male achievement in higher education, focusing on completion and enrollment across time, racial groups and institutional types.