HBCUs and Women-only Colleges
storically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and women only colleges contribute significantly to the middle class and the nation’s economy, and in spite of fewer resources, most graduate impressive numbers of majors in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
HBCUs have a significant impact on black professional and educational success, particularly in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. HBCUs represent approximately 3 percent of higher education institutions based in the United States and enroll approximately 9 percent of all black undergraduates seeking a higher education today. |
Recent studies have found that women’s college alumnae are more satisfied, are more confident and are more prepared for their first jobs than women who graduated from coeducational institutions. Women’s college graduates are also twice as likely to earn a graduate degree as female graduates of flagship public institutions. While women make up 47% of the work force, they on represent 26% of people who work in STEM (science, technology, engineering, or math). Only 12% of female college students will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in science, and just 3% will continue to work in a STEM field 10 years after graduation.
These statistics are alarming and important because STEM careers tend to be significantly more lucrative than non-STEM jobs. |