Family Background and Earnings Inequality among College Graduates
Stratification researchers have reported that the relationship between family background and socio-economic outcomes drops to near zero for individuals who have a baccalaureate degree, leading one scholar to conclude that "This...provides a new answer to the old question about overcoming disadv...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
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Oxford University Press
2017
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| _version_ | 1797070014730207232 |
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| author | Witteveen, D Attewell, P |
| author_facet | Witteveen, D Attewell, P |
| author_sort | Witteveen, D |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Stratification researchers have reported that the relationship between family background and socio-economic outcomes drops to near zero for individuals who have a baccalaureate degree, leading one scholar to conclude that "This...provides a new answer to the old question about overcoming disadvantaged origins. A college degree can do it." We present contrary evidence from two nationally representative samples of college graduates: the Baccalaureate & Beyond Longitudinal Study of 1993 and 2008. There are substantial income differences between graduates from different family backgrounds that can be observed both four and 10 years after graduation. These class-related gaps persist after controlling for college selectivity, major, and academic performance. Further analyses also indicate that these disadvantages in the labor market can be partially explained by inequalities established within occupational niches. We develop the implications of this for theories about the educational dimensions of intergenerational mobility. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T22:32:56Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:58df3f17-1fd7-43ab-9d24-9819246d3846 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T22:32:56Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Oxford University Press |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:58df3f17-1fd7-43ab-9d24-9819246d38462022-03-26T17:06:21ZFamily Background and Earnings Inequality among College GraduatesJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:58df3f17-1fd7-43ab-9d24-9819246d3846Symplectic Elements at OxfordOxford University Press2017Witteveen, DAttewell, PStratification researchers have reported that the relationship between family background and socio-economic outcomes drops to near zero for individuals who have a baccalaureate degree, leading one scholar to conclude that "This...provides a new answer to the old question about overcoming disadvantaged origins. A college degree can do it." We present contrary evidence from two nationally representative samples of college graduates: the Baccalaureate & Beyond Longitudinal Study of 1993 and 2008. There are substantial income differences between graduates from different family backgrounds that can be observed both four and 10 years after graduation. These class-related gaps persist after controlling for college selectivity, major, and academic performance. Further analyses also indicate that these disadvantages in the labor market can be partially explained by inequalities established within occupational niches. We develop the implications of this for theories about the educational dimensions of intergenerational mobility. |
| spellingShingle | Witteveen, D Attewell, P Family Background and Earnings Inequality among College Graduates |
| title | Family Background and Earnings Inequality among College Graduates |
| title_full | Family Background and Earnings Inequality among College Graduates |
| title_fullStr | Family Background and Earnings Inequality among College Graduates |
| title_full_unstemmed | Family Background and Earnings Inequality among College Graduates |
| title_short | Family Background and Earnings Inequality among College Graduates |
| title_sort | family background and earnings inequality among college graduates |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT witteveend familybackgroundandearningsinequalityamongcollegegraduates AT attewellp familybackgroundandearningsinequalityamongcollegegraduates |