No Man Left Behind
American men are in crisis. In 2021, the life expectancy gap between men and women hit a 25-year high, with men expected to live 5.9 years less than women. This gap reflects a trend of “deaths of despair” — a disturbing cocktail of death by suicide, drug overdose, and alcohol-related deaths disproportionately affecting men. Men are nearly four times more likely to die by suicide, account for 70% of opioid overdose deaths, and represent 93% of the U.S. prison population. The message is clear: men are living harder, lonelier lives, and they’re dying younger. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Educational Disparity: The Flywheel of Decline: Education is a strong predictor of life expectancy, and American men are falling behind. In 2021, men received only 42% of bachelor’s degrees, a drastic reversal from 50 years ago when men dominated higher education. Today, women outpace men in nearly every metric: they’re 9% more likely to enroll in college, 11% more likely to graduate on time, and increasingly more likely to attend graduate school. Nearly 60% of college students are now women, and as men lag behind, they’re encountering fewer male role models and even fewer job opportunities.
The Job Market Has Turned Against Men: For men who don’t obtain a college degree, the prospects are bleak. Globalization, automation, and industry decline have gutted the very jobs that once provided stability. From manufacturing and construction to mining and transportation, male-dominated jobs are disappearing fast. Between 2000 and 2010 alone, manufacturing shed 5.8 million jobs, many of which have not been replaced. The high-paying, stable jobs that once supported generations of men are now scarcer than ever.
A Drop-Out Epidemic in the Making: It’s no wonder then that fewer men are joining or staying in the workforce. In the 1950s, 86.4% of men aged 16 and over were employed or seeking work. Today, that number has fallen to 67.5%. At the same time, women have surged into the workforce, now at 56.8% participation compared to 33.9% in the 1950s. Job growth is concentrated in female-dominated sectors like healthcare, education, and personal care — areas where the male share has barely budged.
Implications for Relationships and Family: The fallout isn’t just economic — it’s social. The shrinking pool of college-educated men has upended marriage dynamics, as women increasingly outnumber men in higher education. This imbalance is particularly hard on college-educated women who, studies show, are more likely to delay or forego marriage due to a lack of equally educated partners. Marriage, a powerful predictor of health and financial stability, is becoming more elusive for men at a time when they need it most.
Why Men Matter to Society’s Well-being: The benefits of marriage and family for men are profound: married men live longer, are healthier, and report higher life satisfaction. They earn 10–20% more than their single counterparts and are more likely to accumulate wealth and stay engaged in their communities. But as men’s opportunities wane, so does their chance at these stabilizing life structures. If we want healthy, engaged men in our society, we need to make changes now.
What Needs to Change: This isn’t about “fixing” men — it’s about changing the system to meet men where they are. Here’s how we can start:
- Create Jobs That Don’t Require a College Degree: America needs to re-embrace skilled labor and support industries that provide sustainable careers without a degree.
- Reskill for the Future: For men displaced from shrinking industries, targeted reskilling programs are essential.
- Champion Male Educational Attainment: Schools should prioritize the educational needs of boys as much as they do for girls. Let’s bring back mentorship programs and foster environments that encourage boys to learn, stay in school, and graduate.
- Address the “Deaths of Despair” Directly: It’s time to normalize mental health support for men. Men need to know that it’s okay to seek help, talk about mental health, and access therapy & drug and alcohol recovery.
- Reform Criminal Justice: Men — especially men of color — are overrepresented in our prison system. Criminal justice reform is key to breaking cycles of poverty, health issues, and family instability.
- Redefine Modern Masculinity: We need a new model of manhood that values discipline, hard work, and emotional resilience. Real strength isn’t about how much you can drink, drug, or fight; it’s about being a provider, a protector, and an equal partner.
Closing Call to Action: America, it’s time to man up. The decline of American men isn’t just a “male problem” — it’s a societal crisis that affects everyone. If we fail to act, we’re choosing a future where our sons, brothers, and fathers lead lives of isolation, instability, and despair. We need healthy, skilled, and purpose-driven men back in our workforce, communities, and families. No man should be left behind.
