SAT test scores for 2009 were released today by the College Board , and the male-female gender gap for the mathematics test increased to 35 points to the highest level since 2004, reversing the narrowing gender gap over the previous 4 years (see bottom chart above). The average male score for the math exam was 534 points compared to the average female score of 499 points (see top chart above). What should also be noted is:



1. The variability of male math test scores (standard deviation of 118) was significantly higher than the variability of female math test scores (standard deviation of 112).



2. For math test scores above 700, males outnumbered females by a ratio slightly greater than 2:1 (8.7% of males vs. 4.32% of females scored above 700).



3. Females have higher overall GPAs than males, 3.39 vs. 3.24, and females outnumber males at the highest GPAs : more than 60% of students with GPAs equivalent to A and A+ are female.



4. For mathematics courses only, female and male students both have average GPAs of 3.14.