Much of this decline was in part-time enrollment. The number of women enrolled in graduate and professional programs nearly doubled from 14,486 in 1978 to 26,351 in 1997. This 82 percent increase is due to rapid growth in the number of women who enrolled full-time. Overall, women's share of enrollment in graduate and professional school increased dramatically, from 49 percent in 1978 to 56 percent in 1997. The Maryland Higher Education Commission has sought to increase the number of women who enter undergraduate and graduate work in critical shortage areas.
Women continue to lag significantly behind men in terms of enrollment in science programs.
However, women have made progress. By 1997, this percentage increased to 38 percent. Overall, the second year retention rates for women increased from 73 percent to 81 percent between 1978 and 1996. A similar pattern emerged among the six-year graduation rates for women and men. Sixty percent of the women who matriculated in 1991 earned a degree, compared to less than half of the men.