Higher Education: Gaps in Access and Persistence Study

attainment. Among males who had not completed high
school, a higher percentage of Hispanics (77 percent) were
employed than White (55 percent) or Black males
(28 percent). Also, a higher percentage of White males
than Black males in this group were employed.
Among young adults whose highest level of educational
attainment was high school completion, 67 percent
were employed in 2010 overall, with a higher rate of
employment for males than for females (72 vs.
60 percent). This difference by sex was also observed
among Whites and Hispanics. Among males, a lower
percentage of Blacks (52 percent) were employed,
compared to Whites (74 percent), Hispanics (78 percent),
and Asians (76 percent).
For young adults whose highest level of attainment was
at least a bachelor’s degree, 85 percent were employed in
2010 overall, with a higher employment rate for males
than for females (89 vs. 82 percent). In addition, higher
percentages of White, Hispanic, and Asian males than
females with a bachelor’s or higher degree were employed.
Median Earnings and Employment of Young
Adults With STEM Degrees
The 2010 median annual earnings of young adults ages 25
to 34 who worked full time throughout a full year were
$36,200. Median earnings for males whose highest level
of educational attainment was high school completion
exceeded those for females by about $5,100 ($30,200
vs. $25,100). Median earnings were also higher for male
than female high school completers among Whites,
Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and Native Hawaiians/Pacific
Islanders. Median annual earnings for young adults with
a bachelor’s or higher degree were $50,300 in 2010, and
male earnings for this group exceeded female earnings
by about $9,100 ($54,400 vs. $45,300); this difference by
sex was also observed among Whites, Blacks, Hispanics,
Asians, and young adults of two or more races.
Median earnings for young adults with a bachelor’s or
higher degree in a STEM field (STEM graduates) were
$58,200, about $7,900 higher than the overall average
for young adults with a bachelor’s or higher degree in any
field. Male earnings for STEM graduates exceeded those
for females by about $8,200 ($60,400 vs. $52,200). This
pattern by sex also held for Whites, Blacks, Hispanics,
Asians, and young adults of two or more races. Among
males, STEM earnings for Asians ($69,900) were higher
than earnings for White males ($60,400), males of two
or more races ($60,400), Hispanic males ($53,300), Black
males ($51,800), and American Indian males ($43,800).
Multivariate Analyses
Immediate Postsecondary Enrollment
After controlling for race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status,
and other background variables, among sophomores in
2002 who graduated from high school by August 2004
(referred to as “on-time” high school graduates), females
were more likely than males to immediately enroll in
postsecondary education. This pattern held for White
and Hispanic on-time graduates but not for Blacks. In
contrast, for Black females who graduated on-time from
high school in August 2004, there was no measurable
difference from their male counterparts in the likelihood
of enrolling in their first postsecondary institution by
December 2004.
Immediate enrollees had higher levels of socioeconomic
status compared with students with no immediate
postsecondary enrollment, a higher mean 9th-grade
grade point average (GPA), and a higher mean 10th-grade
mathematics achievement test score. In addition, higher
percentages of immediate enrollees (than those who did
not immediately enroll in postsecondary education)
were from two-parent/guardian households, participated
in sports, participated in two or more extracurricular
activities, and often discussed coursework with their
parents. Lower percentages of immediate enrollees (than
those who did not immediately enroll in postsecondary
education) were ever retained in 10th grade or earlier,
were absent from school seven or more times in the first
semester, had cut or skipped classes seven or more times,
were employed and working more than 30 hours a week,
or had at least one close friend who dropped out of school.
These overall findings varied by race/ethnicity and sex.
Results indicate that the odds of a male immediately
enrolling in postsecondary education were 35 percent
lower than the odds for a female, after accounting for
other student, family, and high school characteristics
that were included as independent variables in the model.
In terms of race/ethnicity, the odds of an Asian student
immediately enrolling in postsecondary education after
high school were 2.57 times the odds for a White student.
While the unadjusted bivariate results indicated that lower
percentages of Black than White high school graduates
immediately enrolled in postsecondary education,
the logistic models indicate that Black students had
50 percent higher odds than White students of
immediately enrolling in postsecondary education, after
accounting for other student, family, and school factors.
Degree Attainment
Among beginning postsecondary students who
were recent high school graduates in 2004, after
controlling for race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status,
and other background variables, females were more
likely than males to have completed an associate’s or
bachelor’s degree program by 2009. This pattern was
also observed for Whites and Blacks. However, for
beginning postsecondary Hispanic students who were
recent high school graduates, there was no measurable
difference between males and females in the likelihood of
completing an associate’s or bachelor’s degree program by
2009.
Higher percentages of students who had attained an
associate’s or bachelor’s degree by 2009 than those
Executive Summary
Executive Summary xv