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Intergenerational Mobility in Education: Variation in Geography and Time

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  • Jason Fletcher
  • Joel Han

Abstract

Education mobility contributes to income mobility and is an important policy target but has received little attention. This paper documents trends (1982–2004) and geographical differences (across US states) in education mobility. We develop mobility measures that respect the unique properties of education attainment. While standard approaches suggest slightly increasing mobility over the sample period, we find that mobility fluctuated, decreasing over roughly the first decade and increasing in the second. Geographic variation in education mobility is correlated with local community and policy factors—such as the existence of high school exit exams. Finally, the South is excluded from national increases in mobility.

Suggested Citation

  • Jason Fletcher & Joel Han, 2019. "Intergenerational Mobility in Education: Variation in Geography and Time," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 13(4), pages 585-634.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jhucap:doi:10.1086/705610
    DOI: 10.1086/705610
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    Cited by:

    1. Ferry, Marin & de Talancé, Marine & Niño-Zarazúa, Miguel, 2022. "Less debt, more schooling? Evidence from cross-country micro data," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 153-173.
    2. Lou, Jing & Li, Jie, 2022. "Export expansion and intergenerational education mobility: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    3. Handy, Christopher & Shester, Katharine L., 2022. "Local changes in intergenerational mobility," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    4. Sulagna Mookerjee & John D. Pedersen & David Slichter, 2023. "Time Use and the Geography of Economic Opportunity," Research in Labor Economics, in: Time Use in Economics, volume 51, pages 89-104, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    5. Alberto Alesina & Sebastian Hohmann & Stelios Michalopoulos & Elias Papaioannou, 2021. "Intergenerational Mobility in Africa," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 89(1), pages 1-35, January.
    6. Michele Bavaro & Federico Tullio, 2023. "Intergenerational mobility measurement with latent transition matrices," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 21(1), pages 25-45, March.
    7. Handy, Christopher & Shester, Katharine, 2020. "Accounting for Changes in Intergenerational Mobility," MPRA Paper 102425, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Xiaohe Zhou & Mingda Cheng & Chunhui Ye, 2023. "The Impact of Household Migration on the Intergenerational Educational Mobility: Based on the Perspective of Adolescent Development," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-13, March.
    9. Fletcher, Jason & Jajtner, Katie M., 2023. "Multidimensional intergenerational mobility," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 328(C).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J48 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Particular Labor Markets; Public Policy

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