Tulane University has seen a growing gender disparity in its student body. Female students increasingly outnumber their male peers, a trend that has been observed at many educational institutions across the country.  

The gender gap in college admissions is not unique to Tulane. The disparity began to grow in the 1980s. By 1982, women earned more than 50% of all bachelor’s degrees. Schools like the University of Georgia eventually changed their admissions policies to favor men. Nationally, 65.3% of female high school graduates enroll in higher education compared to 57.6% of males. By 2023, women constituted 58% of all college students. 

Among private universities, Tulane’s gender ratio stands out. The female-to-male ratio at Tulane is 1.6 to 1 compared to the national average of 1.3 to 1. The Tulane University Office of Undergraduate Admissions reveals a steady increase in female enrollment, rising 5% from the class of 2015 to the class of 2028. Despite efforts to attract a more balanced applicant pool, Tulane saw only a 1% increase in male enrollment in the most recent admissions cycle. 

This increase has created uneven implications for Tulane’s admissions process. According to Top Tier Admissions, Tulane has a slightly higher acceptance rate for women than men with 15% and 13%, respectively despite receiving 1.7 times the number of women applicants than men.  

Tulane’s total student population for the 2023-2024 academic year was 13,078. The number of undergraduate students was 8,077, while 5,001 were graduate students. The percentage of undergraduate students was 61.8%, and 64% of students identified as female. 

This trend is consistent with broader shifts in higher education. Women tend to outperform male students academically, graduate high school at higher rates and pursue college degrees as a pathway to a stable career. Women are also more likely to enter fields that require advanced degrees such as healthcare, education and social sciences. Men are increasingly opting for technical training, entrepreneurship or direct workforce entry. 

However, the increase in women attending college does not put women at a disadvantage universally. Admissions data from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and California Institute of Technology show that acceptance rates for women were 94% and 76% compared to men, respectively, for the class of 2028. On the other end of the spectrum, Brown University and the University of Chicago’s admissions data indicate that women were accepted 39% and 30% less compared to men, respectively.  Harvard University and Rice University showed no measurable preference for women or men applicants.  

Tulane’s gender imbalance follows a broader trend, but it still poses social implications on campus.  Tulane students have voiced concerns about how the gender disparity affects campus dynamics. The main concern is that a skewed distribution of men and women impacts social interaction and contributes to “hookup culture.” Others worry that the gap will widen as male students become increasingly discouraged toward applying.  

Despite the gender gap among students, Tulane maintains that it is an equal-opportunity educator, rejecting claims that admissions lowers standards for male applicants.