Women enrolled in master’s programs outnumber men 7 to 3 – CHED

WOMEN outnumber men seeking college education with 2.74 million or 57.2 percent of the 4.79 million total enrollment as of December 31, 2023, according to the latest figures released by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

The gap expands dramatically when it comes to post-graduate studies.

CHED data showed that out of 228,602 students pursuing master’s degrees as of yearend 2023, more than 70 percent, or 161,101 were women compared to 67,501 for men.

In the doctoral levels, women also had the upper hand, accounting for 61.6 percent of enrollees or 25,256 out of 41,012. Males trying for doctorate degrees numbered 15,756.

In the same period, 26,505 women completed their masteral levels against 12,384 for men for a 68:32 percent ratio.

In the doctoral studies, 61 percent of the graduates were women (3,084) compared to 39 percent for men (1,981).

The data are posted and regularly updated on the official website of the CHED with classifications by sex, regional location, and type of institution (state university or college, private higher education institution, of local HEI)

According to the breakdown of higher education enrollment by region and institution type from last year, the student population in private HEIs stood at 2.466 million which was only slightly higher than the combined count of 2.324 million in SUCs and LUCs.

Regions with high enrollment in private HEIs are the National Capital Region (544,140), Calabarzon (278,006), Central Luzon (222,834), and Central Visayas (203,738).

On the other hand, the regions with bigger enrollment in SUCs and LUCs are NCR (302,444), Calabarzon (302,366), Central Luzon (264,845), Western Visayas (200,637), Bicol Region (166,879), and Central Visayas (162,882).