If more women than men have college degrees, what does it mean for

[Anonymous]

- marriage and children?

This Pew Research article prompted more thought on this issue:

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/11/18/us-women-are-outpacing-men-in-college-completion-including-in-every-major-racial-and-ethnic-group/

It’s still normal for women to prefer to date (and marry) men who make higher salaries. And it’s beyond question a college degree is generally associated with higher earnings (over a persons’ lifetime). That adds up to fewer and fewer viable men to marry.

Will any woman still marry in 20 years? And will the birth rate drop to zero?

[Anonymous]

In my community, men and women both get STEM degrees and get high salaries. Older generation support young families in material and emotional ways. I am not seeing a decline in marriages or births. Though more than 2 children is not common in our community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my community, men and women both get STEM degrees and get high salaries. Older generation support young families in material and emotional ways. I am not seeing a decline in marriages or births. Though more than 2 children is not common in our community.

Just say your "community" – we know you're not talking about a neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

At some point women are going to have to change what they feel they are entitled to or decide that being alone is ok with them. Either one is fine, but they do have to make a decision. Men don't have nearly as many requirements to marry a woman.

[Anonymous]

Women, to be honest, only need men for heterosexual activities. There is no longer a social stigma for having babies without marriage. Professional degrees gusta yee professional salaries. Men need to get over being the alpha male.

[Anonymous]

It's still 40% of peopel getting college degrees are men. Let's say it's 35% are straight. That means about half of women with college degrees will find a (male) mate, if their requirement is a man with a college degree.

The rest will need to adjust their requirements or stay single.

[Anonymous]

Apple News pod cast today on how many women are giving up on marriage - and going it alone with buying house and having families or just staying single.

[Anonymous]

I think the issue is more likely to be driven by men not comfortable “marrying up” vs women refusing to marry men who earn less.

And maybe this will be good for family balance issues with more women as key breadwinner roles.

[Anonymous]

Another friend just announced her solo pregnancy. That's the 3rd one so far in 2025. None of them are married or even dating anyone. All chose the artificial insemination/IVF routes.

Good for them, I say. I love a self-sufficient queen.

[Anonymous]

I think there are still opportunities for women to pair up with men that earn more.

A lot more women than men who are earning college degrees are getting degrees that feed into careers that, while they require a degree, do not pay that well. Teaching K-12 for example.

And men tend to dominate the career paths with no college degree that pay relatively well--for example, skilled trades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another friend just announced her solo pregnancy. That's the 3rd one so far in 2025. None of them are married or even dating anyone. All chose the artificial insemination/IVF routes.

Good for them, I say. I love a self-sufficient queen.

I'm shocked no men are courting them

[Anonymous]

okay...I'm 62 yo, so old school lol...but
I have a master's degree in a hard science and my husband never went to college and he always made more than I did. He is a smart guy.

College doesn't guarantee high $$.

[Anonymous]

Most men still make more money, even if they didn't go to college.

My brother never finished college, still makes more money than his wife with a master's degree and makes more money than I do with a college degree as well.

Lots of degreed teachers and nurses marry police officers and firemen and guys in the trades.

There is only a real issue when women are making a lot of money, or come from a family with a lot of money, and men are intimidated.

[Anonymous]

Gender discussion aside, college degrees are quickly becoming worthless.

If everyone can and does get one, then they aren't worth a thing anymore.

Blame diploma mill colleges, who simply hand out degrees to anyone with the money.

Blame government student loan scams, for giving everyone a load to give to the colleges.

It's all a money laundering operation these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my community, men and women both get STEM degrees and get high salaries. Older generation support young families in material and emotional ways. I am not seeing a decline in marriages or births. Though more than 2 children is not common in our community.

Just say your "community" – we know you're not talking about a neighborhood.

They’re talking about communities that work hard, value education, and take tough stem majors. Like math, engineering, premed/med.

Other communities see woman taking more “pink” majors like marketing, nursing, education, communication, studies. Those have less high paying career tracks than stem majors or law/med/mba graduate programs.