Georgetown Students Holds Campus Protest In Support Of Palestine Georgetown Students Holds Campus Protest In Support Of Palestine
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 4: A woman speaks as Georgetown students hold an on-campus protest supporting Palestine at Georgetown University on September 4, 2024 in Washington, DC. Student protests have continued on university campuses to demand that institutions of higher education divest from companies and endowments with ties to Israel, amid Israel's continued war with Gaza. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

US business schools are about to reach gender parity as more women enroll this year, compared to other graduate courses.

Over the past four years, female enrollment increased by 13%, with about 6,100 women starting their MBA this fall in all 61 programs of the US and international business schools.

Bloomberg shared that this outpaces the combined 3% increase for all students in all courses, which means more women are leaning toward these programs by a great percentage. With this, women now make up 42% of total MBA enrollment in the US,

While there is stability, some are still concerned about its progress. Experts believe that a slowdown is expected, however, it doesn't change the fact that women now represent 45% to 50% of classroom students. This means a run towards an inclusive environment in the US educational industry.

Gender Equality in MBA Programs

Now, there is progress in MBA programs when it comes to gender parity. So far, 8 institutions reached at least 51% female enrollment this fall, which is a new high. Leading the list is Johns Hopkins University, which according to US News & World Report, record 55% female enrollees. Not only does this imply access to education, but also progress towards support and representation on campuses.

Besides Johns Hopkins, 19 schools also reported female enrolment of 45% or more, the first time it hit the mark in the history of US MBA enrollees.

However, while some schools were able to achieve this, they weren't able to maintain it for a long time due to unsustainable practices that will support female participation in MBA programs. This is where targeted recruitment will come in handy, with the State University of New York at Buffalo actively engaging with prospective female students through focus groups and webinars.

Looking ahead, more MBA schools are hoping to achieve 50% women students to support the ultimate goal of transitioning these students into corporate leadership roles. Currently, only 7.4% of S&P 500 CEOs are women with MBA degrees.