Roe v. Wade repeal impacts where young women choose to go to college, PSU researcher finds

The impacts of Roe v. Wade's reversal in 2022 are still being understood, but new research from Portland State's Rajiv Sharma provides another piece of the puzzle.

Sharma found that in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision, female students are more likely to choose a university or college in states where abortion rights and access are upheld. The research, conducted with the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, indicates a potential impact on future workforces and economic development in states with stricter abortion laws as young people often live and work in the state they go to college.

The research team is currently collecting data on first-year students who are part of the first class to apply to college in a post-Roe world. Sharma argues if the trend continues and college applicants to less selective institutions in states with limited abortion rights, the economic implications could be larger than initially discovered.