If the Future Belongs To the Educated – Women Will Own It.

In the 87 metropolitan markets surveyed in 2004 by The Media Audit there are 24.3 million adults under the age of 45 with a college degree: 12.3 million are women and 11.9 million are men.

“At age 45 and beyond there are more men than women with a college degree (12.9 million to 11.2 million) but the trend is undeniable. In a very few years there will be more college educated women than men,” says Bob Jordan, president of International Demographics, Inc., a 34-year-old market research firm that produces The Media Audit.

In 2004 The Media Audit surveyed 87 markets with a total adult population of 137.4 million. Of the 48.3 million college graduates, 51.3 percent were men and 48.7 percent were women. As recently as 2000, the split was 52.6 percent men and 47.4 percent women.

“It doesn’t take an actuary to see where this is going,” says Jordan, “and this trend has serious meaning for those in advertising and marketing.”

Trend More Pronounced Among Minorities

Within the Hispanic and African-American populations the gender/education shift is even more pronounced than it is in the general population.

There are 17 million African-American adults in the 87 metropolitan markets surveyed. Of that number, 22.5 percent or 3.8 million are college graduates and 59.6 percent or 2.3 million are women. African-American women outnumber men in the 87 markets; 9.6 million to 7.5 million and a significantly larger percentage of the women are college educated 23.9 percent to 20.7 percent for men. Of all African-Americans with a college degree, 59.6 percent are women and 40.4 percent are men.

In the same metro markets there are 21.3 million Hispanic adults and 20.9 percent or 4.5 million have graduated from college. That number is split almost down the middle: 2,234,393 men compared to 2,218,328 million women.

There are 7.6 million Asian adults in the markets surveyed and 57.8 percent or 4.4 million have a college education. The 57.8 percent compares to 20.9 percent among Hispanics, 22.5 percent among African-Americans, and 39.3 percent among Caucasians. Of the college educated Asians, 54.0 percent are men and 46.0 percent are women.

Impact on Income & Media Habits

“As women and men become better educated they become more affluent and their media habits change,” says Jordan.

More than 58.2 percent of college educated women have household incomes of $50,000 or more compared to 39.8 percent of all women. Among college educated women, 38.8 percent have household incomes of $75,000 or more compared to 22.6 percent of women in general.

“The income differences may be of no surprise,” says Jordan, “but the changes in media habits can be startling.” For instance, 56.3 percent of all those who listen to the Country radio format are women, but just 26.6 percent of those that do have a college degree. On the other hand, just 18 percent of all women listen to Sports radio but 51.9 percent of those that do have a college education. “Education has a significant impact on the lifestyles, media habits, income and buying power of both men and women. It is a serious demographic factor,” says Jordan.

There are 17 million African-American adults in the 87 metropolitan markets surveyed. Of that number, 22.5 percent or 3.8 million are college graduates and 59.6 percent or 2.3 million are women. African-American women outnumber men in the 87 markets; 9.6 million to 7.5 million and a significantly larger percentage of the women are college educated 23.9 percent to 20.7 percent for men. Of all African-Americans with a college degree, 59.6 percent are women and 40.4 percent are men.

In the same metro markets there are 21.3 million Hispanic adults and 20.9 percent or 4.5 million have graduated from college. That number is split almost down the middle: 2,234,393 men compared to 2,218,328 million women.

There are 7.6 million Asian adults in the markets surveyed and 57.8 percent or 4.4 million have a college education. The 57.8 percent compares to 20.9 percent among Hispanics, 22.5 percent among African-Americans, and 39.3 percent among Caucasians. Of the college educated Asians, 54.0 percent are men and 46.0 percent are women.

Impact on Income & Media Habits

“As women and men become better educated they become more affluent and their media habits change,” says Jordan.

More than 58.2 percent of college educated women have household incomes of $50,000 or more compared to 39.8 percent of all women. Among college educated women, 38.8 percent have household incomes of $75,000 or more compared to 22.6 percent of women in general. “The income differences may be of no surprise,” says Jordan, “but the changes in media habits can be startling.” For instance, 56.3 percent of all those who listen to the Country radio format are women, but just 26.6 percent of those that do have a college degree. On the other hand, just 18 percent of all women listen to Sports radio but 51.9 percent of those that do have a college education. “Education has a significant impact on the lifestyles, media habits, income and buying power of both men and women. It is a serious demographic factor,” says Jordan.