This table shows a fairly steady increase in women's proportional participation in university education over the past 25 years, especially in undergraduate programs. In most provinces this trend applied as well to graduate studies, although percentages of women students were significantly lower than for undergraduate programs. The notable exceptions are Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick where the female proportion of graduate students dropped dramatically between 1955 and 1960 and did not recover to the 1955 level for 15-20 years. The percentages are distorted to varying degrees in each of these provinces by overall low numbers of graduate students in 1955.

The statistics for Canada from 1920-1980 / 81 show some very interesting trends. In undergraduate programs there were proportionately more women in the 1930's and 40's than there were in the 1950's. The low point was reached in 1955 at 21% and has gradually increased to its present level of 46%.

In graduate studies the pattern is even more dramatic. Women were 26% of graduate students during the 1920's and 30's, dropping off to half that level (13%) by 1955. The proportion gradually increased but did not surpass the 1920's and 30's level until 1975. In 1980/81 women were 36% of full-time graduate students.