Poll: women in college more likely to feel stressed, worried than male classmates

A new Gallup poll shows that female students are more likely to experience negative feelings than male students

by Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech | Aug. 10, 2023

Story at a glance

Almost three-quarters of women studying at a four-year college felt stressed this past spring while 56 percent of men said the same, according to a new Gallup poll.

Poll findings show that while many students feel stressed, lonely or sad, women are more likely to experience these negative emotions than men.

Feelings of stress and loneliness have been a major issue at college and universities since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Women in college are more likely than their male classmates to report feeling stressed and worried, a new Gallup poll shows.

The findings are the result of a 2,430-person survey of college students pursuing bachelor’s degrees at a four-year college Gallup conducted in mid-March.

During the spring semester, 66 percent of college students in the U.S. reported feeling stressed and another 51 percent reported feeling worried.

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Another 39 percent of students reported feeling lonely while 36 percent admitted to feeling sad, according to the poll.

But women were far more likely than men to suffer from stress and worry.

This past spring, 72 percent of female students in four-year undergraduate programs felt stress “a lot of the prior day” while 56 percent of male students said the same.

Similarly, 56 percent of female students admitted to worrying the prior day, while 40 percent of male students reported feeling worried.

Female students are also more likely to experience feelings of sadness and loneliness than their male counterparts.

In the March survey, 40 percent of female respondents reported feeling sad while 41 percent said they felt lonely.

Meanwhile, 28 percent of male students said they felt sad and 35 percent said they felt lonely.

“Feelings of stress, worry, loneliness and sadness have challenged higher education institutions in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic began and they are likely to continue into the fall of 2023,” poll crafters said in a statement.

“Incoming students require significant support to overcome the stressors they will face to be able to complete their post-secondary experience and launch successfully into life after graduation.”