The most recent NCAA Gender-Equity Report reveals little change in the proportion of athletics spending devoted to women’s athletics.

Data from the newly released 2005-06 report indicate that in Division I, 66 percent of total expenses were directed toward men’s athletics versus 34 percent for women’s programs. Although the figures represent minimal changes from the 2003-04 report, the gap between men’s and women’s spending is slightly wider (three percentage points) for the 2005-06 report compared to the previous study.

In Division II, the proportion of total expenses devoted to men’s and women’s athletics remained the same (58 percent and 42 percent, respectively) as it was in the 2003-04 report. However, in Division III, the percentage for women’s athletics programs increased by two percentage points (to 44 percent), while men’s allocations dropped by two points to 56 percent.

The addition of three expense categories to the 2005-06 survey – spirit groups, medical expenses and membership dues – and the corresponding revenue categories could have contributed to increases in the overall totals. However, the report’s lead researcher, Denise DeHass, said the intent of the new classifications was to more specifically define expenses and revenues that should have already been included but were not explicitly stated. 

DeHass also noted that – like several other areas of the report, including total expenses, evolutions in categories and definitions related to head coaches’ salaries – make it difficult to directly compare past years, but she emphasized that comparing the proportion of dollars spent remains relevant.

Head coaches’ salaries are often cited as a major factor in recent increases in athletics spending, and that could continue based on findings in the 2005-06 report. Data from 2005-06 show the proportion of money spent on salaries of head coaches of men’s teams still outpaces the proportion spent on head coaches of women’s teams in Divisions I, II and III, a trend that has remained relatively constant since the report was first issued in 1991-92.

In comparing 2003-04 and 2005-06 findings, Division III was the only division to register an increase, although it was insignificant at just 1 percent, in the proportion of total expenses being directed to head coaches of women’s teams.

Similarly, the proportion of assistant coaches’ salaries for women’s teams lags behind that of men’s programs in all three divisions, according to the 2005-06 report. At Division I institutions without football, assistants of women’s teams receive 47 percent of the salary dollars, which represents a small increase from 2003-04. Comparatively, in the other two divisions, assistants of women’s teams received not more than 31 percent of the salary budget.

In contrast, the proportion of total expenses allocated to assistant coaches’ salaries for women’s teams in Division I overall increased by 12 percent between 1991-92 and 2003-04. Comparison data for Divisions II and III was not available for 1991-92.

According to the latest edition of the report, female student-athlete participation also has increased significantly since the study was initially released in 1991-92. In Division I overall, the percentage of women student-athletes has expanded from 31 to 45 percent, while Division II registered a 9 percent increase and Division III reported a 7 percent gain.

Although past reports reflected increases in the proportion of the total dollar amount devoted to scholarships for women’s teams, that trend has leveled, according to comparisons of 2003-04 and 2005-06 results. For the second consecutive reporting period, the proportions of funds earmarked for scholarships for women remained the same in Divisions I and II. Women received the largest percentage of scholarship dollars (55 percent) at Division I schools without football.

Additionally, in all subdivisions of Division I, the proportion of money dedicated to recruiting for women’s teams decreased slightly in 2005-06 compared to 2003-04, while the percentage remained unchanged in Division II at 36 percent and increased by 1 percent to 35 percent in Division III.

Click here to see a PDF of the report.