The higher education gap between men and women has shrunk dramatically according a recent analysis by the Swiss statistics office. The study, which looks at census figures from 1970 to 2014, shows big changes between 2000 and 20141. In 2000, the percentage of men (13%) with a university education was more than twice that of women (6%). By 20141 the gap was far smaller. 13% of women, compared to 18% of men had a university qualification. The ratio of men to women in this category shifted from 2.2 to 1.4.
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The gap grows after combining percentages of university graduates and those with higher professional qualifications. By 20141, 22% of women were in this grouping compared to 36% of men. However the report says this gap is primarily related to older people. The difference declines dramatically among the young, even flipping the other way for university degrees, where 31% of young women compared to 25% of young men graduate.
The highest densities of the highly qualified are found around Lake Geneva, Basel and the broad region around Zurich. 34% or more of the population over 25 in these regions are graduates.
Regional differences can be seen in the education levels of couples. The percentage of couples where the woman is more qualified than her husband is 13% in the French and Italian-speaking regions and 10% in the German-speaking parts. Across Switzerland the percentage is 11%.
The tendency of those with similar levels of education to get together has remained stable. In 1990, 56% of couples had the same level of education, compared to 58% in 20141.
1 2014 refers to a pool of data collected from 2010 to 2014.
More on this:
Read full report from the OFS (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
Read full report from the BFS (in German)
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