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Educational Homogamy and Assortative Mating Have Not Increased

Author

Listed:
  • Gihleb, Rania

    () (University of Pittsburgh)

  • Lang, Kevin

    () (Boston University)

Abstract

Some economists have argued that assortative mating between men and women has increased over the last several decades, thereby contributing to increased family income inequality. Sociologists have argued that educational homogamy has increased. We clarify the relation between the two and, using both the Current Population Surveys and the decennial Censuses/American Community Survey, show that neither is correct. The former is based on the use of inappropriate statistical techniques. Both are sensitive to how educational categories are chosen. We also find no evidence that the correlation between spouses' potential earnings has changed dramatically.

Suggested Citation

  • Gihleb, Rania & Lang, Kevin, 2016. "Educational Homogamy and Assortative Mating Have Not Increased," IZA Discussion Papers 10413, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp10413
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Bratsberg, Bernt & Markussen, Simen & Raaum, Oddbjørn & Røed, Knut & Røgeberg, Ole J., 2018. "Trends in Assortative Mating and Offspring Outcomes," IZA Discussion Papers 11753, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
    2. Davis, Jonathan & Mazumder, Bhashkar, 2017. "The Decline in Intergenerational Mobility After 1980," Working Paper Series WP-2017-5, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    assortative mating;

    JEL classification:

    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure

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