More women want a degree — but men lead in psychometric scores

A new CBS survey of 2004-born Israelis reveals significant gender gaps: 75% of women aspire to an academic degree versus 65.4% of men. Women also lead in matriculation eligibility (68.2% vs. 56.3%), but men who took the psychometric exam scored an average of 36.5 points higher. The survey examines gender gaps, sought-after fields of study, and motivations for higher education.

A new survey by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), published today (Tuesday), among those born in 2004 reveals significant gender gaps in aspirations for higher education and academic achievements. 70.1% of respondents aspire to an academic degree, but while 75% of women are interested, only 65.4% of men aspire to one. Women also lead in matriculation eligibility: 68.2% compared to 56.3% among men. However, among those who took the psychometric exam, men achieved an average score of 564.5 points compared to 528 points for women – a gap of 36.5 points, mainly in the quantitative and English sections. The survey also examined sought-after fields of study: engineering and architecture (21.3%), arts (13.1%), and medicine (5.4%) attract significant interest from young people, but the rate of new students in these fields is lower. Conversely, education and teaching (8.4% interest vs. 19.2% students) and social sciences are less in demand. About half of respondents (49.8%) cite interest in the field as a motivation for studying, and 30% see a degree as a means for economic advancement. Family is the main source of influence on choosing a field of study (35%), ahead of social networks (22.8%).