This paper focuses cross-nationally on women's share of higher education relative to that of men. An institutional perspective is developed that leads to three predictions: (1) women's share of higher education will increase worldwide; (2) countries with relatively more women in higher education will also have relatively more women in the labor force and show a greater commitment to legal equality between the sexes; and (3) the expansion of women's share of higher education will be minimally affected by variations in internal societal factors. Table I shows that between 1955 and 1975 there was a worldwide increase in women's share of higher education. Table II summarizes prior cross-national research that shows the positive effects of women's share of higher education on other dimensions of the status of women. Table III reveals that while most societal characteristics are unrelated to the growth of women's share of higher education, economic development has a positive influence. It is noted that the interpretation of this set of findings stresses their contingency on increased national exposure to a model of development fostered by the world political culture. Contains 70 references. (Author/GLR)