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Gender Differences in University Enrollment and STEM Major: The Role of Tuition Policy in Australia

Author

Listed:
  • Katherine Cuff

    (McMaster University)

  • Ana Gamarra Rondinel

    (Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne)

  • A. Abigail Payne

    (Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne)

Abstract

We analyze whether men and women respond differently to tuition variation for both university entry and STEM major choice, using a 30-year Australian individual-level administrative dataset. The Australian setting is unique: tuition fees are regulated, students can defer payment through income-contingent loans, and universities receive discipline-specific government subsidies. We find women consistently enrolled at higher rates than men, on average 14 percentage points between 1991 and 2020, with the gap widening over the period from 10 to 16 percentage points. By contrast, men were more likely to register in STEM fields. This STEM gap has remained stable in traditional STEM disciplines, but the gap has narrowed since 2005 when including Health in the definition of STEM. We find that women respond more positively than men to tuition increases in terms of overall enrollment. Effects on STEM participation, however, are less clear and vary across time. The STEM choice patterns suggest systematic gender differences in incentives and behavior, reflecting factors such as men’s stronger engagement with higher-paying non-university jobs, higher expected returns to traditional STEM fields for men, narrower earnings dispersion for women across fields, and gender differences in cost sensitivity and risk aversion. Our findings highlight how tuition policy interacts with gender-specific incentives to shape both university enrollment and major choices.

Suggested Citation

  • Katherine Cuff & Ana Gamarra Rondinel & A. Abigail Payne, 2025. "Gender Differences in University Enrollment and STEM Major: The Role of Tuition Policy in Australia," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2025n10, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    • Handle: RePEc:iae:iaewps:wp2025n10
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Speer, Jamin D., 2017. "The gender gap in college major: Revisiting the role of pre-college factors," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 69-88.
    2. Chapman, Bruce, 1997. "Conceptual Issues and the Australian Experience with Income Contingent Charges for Higher Education," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 107(442), pages 738-751, May.
    3. David Card & A. Abigail Payne, 2021. "High School Choices And The Gender Gap In Stem," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 59(1), pages 9-28, January.
    4. repec:eme:rlec11:s0147-912120150000042002 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Katherine Cuff & Ana Gamarra Rondinel & A. Abigail Payne, 2025. "Tuition Increases and University Behavior: Theory and Evidence on Student Enrollment," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2025n06, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    6. Chapman, Bruce & Ryan, Chris, 2005. "The access implications of income-contingent charges for higher education: lessons from Australia," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 491-512, October.
    7. Stephen Machin & Sandra McNally, 2005. "Gender and Student Achievement in English Schools," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 21(3), pages 357-372, Autumn.
    8. Jyoti Rai & Jean Kimmel, 2015. "Gender Differences in Risk Preferences: An Empirical Study using Attitudinal and Behavioral Specifications of Risk Aversion," Research in Labor Economics, in: Gender in the Labor Market, volume 42, pages 61-91, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    9. Delaney, Judith M. & Devereux, Paul J., 2019. "Understanding gender differences in STEM: Evidence from college applications✰," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 219-238.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • I22 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Educational Finance; Financial Aid

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