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Choosing a Major and a Partner: Field of Study and Union Formation Among College-Educated Women in Europe

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  • Dana Hamplová

    (Czech Academy of Sciences)

  • Alena Bičáková

    (Charles University and the Economics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

In this paper, we explore the patterns of assortative mating among college-educated women who graduated from typically female, typically male, or mixed disciplines. Using a set of cross-sectional observations of a single cohort of female graduates (2010) from European Union Labour Force Survey data and applying multilevel multinomial logit models, we estimated the relative risk of living with a college-educated partner (homogamy), living with less educated partner (hypogamy), or being single. Focusing on the first five years after graduation, the analysis demonstrated that field of study is a significant predictor of mating behaviour. Women with degrees in male-dominated fields are less likely to partner down with less educated men. The mating advantage of women from male-dominated fields is stronger in countries with a higher female employment rate. Furthermore, more liberal gender roles seem to increase the level of singlehood among women from male-dominated fields. Finally, women from female-dominated and mixed disciplines are more likely to partner down if the man graduated from a male-typical discipline. However, among women from male-dominated disciplines, such a trade-off was not observed.

Suggested Citation

  • Dana Hamplová & Alena Bičáková, 2022. "Choosing a Major and a Partner: Field of Study and Union Formation Among College-Educated Women in Europe," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 38(5), pages 861-883, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:eurpop:v:38:y:2022:i:5:d:10.1007_s10680-022-09621-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s10680-022-09621-8
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