American women have trumped the country’s men in educational prowess but still lag behind in pay, the White House said in the first federal report into women in society in nearly 50 years.

The report focuses on five key areas: people, families and income, education and employment, health and crime and violence, and coincides with Women’s History Month.

The White House said that the statistical study not only charted how far women have come in terms of equality, but would serve as a guide for framing future policy.

“Today’s report not only serves as a look back on American women’s lives, but serves as a guidepost to help us move forward,” said Valerie Jarrett, who chairs the White House Council on Women and Girls.

The survey finds that women have not only matched men in college attendance, and attainment but have in some cases passed them.

According to the study, women, aged 25-34 are now more likely than men of the same age group to have a college degree, in a reversal of the position 40 years ago.

Women earned about 57 per cent of all college degrees in 2007-2008, and the percentage of women aged 25-34 with at least a college degree has more than tripled since 1968.

But the leaps forward in education have not yet translated to work place equality, and women are still generally pulling in smaller paychecks than their male counterparts.