American women have trumped the country's men in educational prowess but still lag behind in pay, the White House said Tuesday 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, aged25-34 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 percent 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.

In 2009, women earned only about 75 percent of what their male counterparts brought home.

Because of their smaller salaries and the fact that unmarried and divorced women are more likely to have responsibility for raising and supporting children, women are more likely to be poor than men.

The report also found that women live longer than men, but are more prone to health problems such as impaired mobility, arthritis, asthma, depression and obesity --but are less likely to get heart disease or diabetes.

Women are less likely than in the past to be the target of violent crimes, including homicide. But women are victims of certain crimes, such as intimate partner violence and stalking, at higher rates than men.

The report, "Women in America: Indicators of Social and Economic Well-Being" is the first federal report in the area since 1963 during president John F. Kennedy's administration.