By Blake Metiva, Emma Blakley, Delta Collegiate staff; Isaiah Kabban, Student submission
Think of a typical college education. You might imagine sitting in a classroom, taking notes, or working on a computer. To some, this may seem incredibly unappealing; to others, it’s a dream.
In the last 25 years a trend has emerged: men are disappearing from higher education.
“Nobody has the answer as to why men aren’t going,” Delta College President Mike Gavin says. “We’ve done some outreach and found people don’t know how to go to college or aren’t sure how to ask how to go. We’ve been doing workshops and having classes that are available for those that want to attend to accommodate them.”
Breaking the trend?
UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – Maddox Salcedo had always loved film production, and wanted to make it his career. He chose Delta to pursue his passion for filmmaking and video editing.
Salcedo is breaking an ever-growing trend in academia. Every year since 1996 women have entered college at higher rates than men. A 2024 PBS News article found that 65 percent of women enrolled in college while only 57 percent of men enrolled, but it’s unclear why this is.
“I think men are attending college less because there’s an expectation that they should attend a trade school or start a career in which they make more money,” Salcedo says.
His assessment confirms the findings of a 2021 Pew Research Center study. In the study, 35 percent of male respondents stated they hadn’t finished or attended college because of the need to help support their family.
Over the past ten years there’s been a growing sentiment of “college isn’t for everyone.” Salcedo agrees.
“College can be beneficial for those who know what they want to pursue and get a better understanding of,” he says. “But not everyone needs college to succeed.”
While it seems men are disappearing, Salcedo is an example of someone breaking the trend.
Lack of confidence
SAGINAW, Mich. – Alex Cooper, a 22-year-old General Merchandise clerk at Meijer, thought about attending college right out of high school, but decided against it when he realized how much work it would be.
“I wasn’t confident I could succeed or keep up with the work needed to succeed at the college level,” Cooper says.
He reflects the growing trend of young men choosing to skip college, “I thought about going, but I didn’t.” According to a 2021 Pew research study 34 percent of men shared they felt the same way.
During the COVID-19 pandemic is when Cooper realized that the pressure was highest to get a college degree.
“When I first left high school, I felt there was more pressure. I was living with my mom, but now that I live by myself that pressure is off,” he says.
In spring of 2021, the enrollment of black males to colleges dropped a whopping 21.5 percent according to the Chronicle. Cooper, like many others, reflects these two studies, feeling inadequate, without the time or finances for higher education.
He hasn’t entirely ruled out the idea of attending a college or trade school.
“Going to college is still a thought that comes across my mind, but it’s a matter of applying myself.”
Its electric
BAY CITY, Mich. – Michigan Technological University has always been Justin Badour’s dream college. Wanting to become a mechanical engineer, Badour has spent his time at Delta College taking the specific classes that will transfer. But why start at Delta?
“[Delta] is very affordable,” he says. “If I went up to Michigan Tech. [it is] around $20,000 either a year or semester. With Delta, it’s like $2,000 a semester,” Badour says.
In the 2021 Pew Research Center study, it was found that 39 percent of men say a major factor in not having a college degree is because of the cost. Badour feels these numbers are only going to rise.
“You’re having this huge shift towards trade schools,” Badour says. “Part of that is because we’ve had a huge increase in people saying ‘do trade school’ instead of college. The market has kind of done itself.”
Badour wasn’t surprised that three in ten adults didn’t complete four years of college.
“College is hard. You’ve got to put in the hours [and] the work,” he says.
Badour also thinks that whether you need a degree depends on what career you’re looking into.
“If you’re going for a degree with a low job expectancy, you shouldn’t be in college,” he says. “We always preach ‘follow your dreams’ but you also got to look out for the future.”
He shared that despite the hardship college can bring, it is worth it for him due to the freedom and stability it can offer.
“College is going to help me be able to start my life and be on my own.”
Trade’s the way
BAY CITY, Mich. – According to the Pew Research Center, roughly a third of men without a bachelor’s degree say a big reason they didn’t complete college is because they “didn’t want to.”
Ethan Burzyck, a student currently enrolled at the Greater Michigan Construction Academy, thinks that dropping out of the trades isn’t likely.
“When you enroll, it’s a four-year program,” he says. “In order to get your journeyman’s license, you have to do four years. When you get your license, the pay gets a really big increase and that’s what most trade guys work for.”
The average annual salary for someone with an bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering is $138,182. With a Journeyman’s license in electrical wiring, the annual salary is $63,337.
Despite the difference in salary, many are still choosing the Journeyman’s license instead. Some trades schools don’t require loans as big as universities. Michigan Technological University’s average annual tuition is $36,157 while GMCA’s tuition is $1,700 per semester/per program. For a four-year program, that adds up to around $13,600.
“During high school, I was unsure about what to do for college until I learned about trades. Then I was all in,” Burzyck says.
Dual-enrolled
HARBOR BEACH, Mich. – For 18-year-old Hackett Soper, attending college was never a big fanciful dream of his; instead, he wanted to do what he saw necessary to build a solid future.
“There wasn’t one big moment,” he says. “I just saw my dad at work and thought, yeah, that’s the kind of life I want.”
Soper, a senior at Harbor Beach High School, is dual-enrolled at Mid-Michigan College. His coursework combines its online classes with hands-on learning through a Career and Technical Education program. The program is located at the Huron Area Technological Center. He plans to transfer to Saginaw Valley State University in the fall of 2025 to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering.
“Mid-Michigan was affordable and gave me a head start, especially with Michigan’s state law requiring Harbor Beach to pay for 10 of my classes,” he says. “It’s a smart way to figure things out.”
According to the Pew Research Center, men now account for just 40 percent of college students. Delta College mirrors this trend, with over 60 percent of its student body being women, U.S. News & World Report found. While he notices the gender imbalance in higher education, it doesn’t bother him much.
“I spend most of my day on the computer anyway,” he said with a shrug. “But yeah, there are definitely fewer guys—it is certainly noticeable.”
For Soper, balancing dual enrollment with high school hasn’t been easy.
“The hardest part has been the discipline,” he admitted. “Staying on task with tougher classes has been challenging, but I think it is preparing me for what’s next.”
Hackett was blunt about why fewer men are pursuing higher education.
“It’s the phones and technology,” he says. “Guys my age are distracted, and we have lost the drive to push ourselves. It’s too easy to coast.”
His advice to other young men?
“Explore dual enrollment or CTE programs first. They let you figure out what interests you before committing to college.”
A true artist
HARBOR BEACH, Mich. — If you ask Benjamin Birtles where he’s from, he’ll say Port Huron; if you ask him where home is, he’ll say Harbor Beach.
Birtles moved to Harbor Beach in 2021, trading the city for the quiet shores of Michigan’s thumb. At first, he was just the new kid—unsure, out of place. But then, something shifted. He made friends. He got in shape. He found running and, with it, a sense of purpose.
“I truly felt like I found my people,” he says.
By the time he graduated highschool in 2023, Harbor Beach wasn’t just where he lived, it was where he became himself.
“If I had stayed in Port Huron, maybe it would’ve been different,” he says. “More colleges, more options. But after the move, ironically, school just didn’t seem like the move for me anymore.”
Instead of college, he got a job at Subway. He put on the latex gloves, clocked in, and found a rhythm—making some of the best subs in town.
“I was nervous at first,” he admitted. “I thought I’d mess up and get fired—it would be the end of the world. But I learned something important: Your first job isn’t forever—it’s just a step to the next one.”
Across the country, fewer men are choosing college. Since 2018, nearly half a million fewer men have enrolled in U.S. colleges, while trade school enrollment has surged.
“Many kids either don’t know how to or just choose not to look for scholarships,” Birtles says. “More often than not, they don’t want to go through all the steps. If you don’t know what you like, four years of college can feel like a waste—especially if you can’t afford it.”
For now, he’s figuring things out. He’s back to running, trying to find his rhythm again.
“I don’t know what’s next,” he admitted. “But I’m okay with that.”
One thing he does know? When he has a son of his own, he’ll make sure he never has to second-guess himself.
“I’ll build him up,” Birtles says. “Make sure he has the confidence to go after whatever comes naturally. Like I wish someone did for me.”
