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The race is to the swift: Socioeconomic origins, adult education, and wage attainment

Publication ,  Conference
Elman, C; O'Rand, AM
Published in: American Journal of Sociology
July 1, 2004

The "winners" in today's winner-take-all labor markets are differentiated by advanced levels of educational attainment, especially higher degrees. This article applies a sociological model of cumulative dis/advantage to the baby-boom cohort to examine whether life course timing differences in educational attainment help explain wage differentials by midlife. It finds that advantaged social origins lead to early postsecondary completion of degrees, which, in turn, yield higher wages. A pathway of cumulative disadvantage is also evident, where those least advantaged exit schooling early in life, do not return as adults, and earn low wages. In a middle path, advantaged social origins promote adult school attainment primarily for those without degrees but generally without the wage boosts associated with attainment earlier in life.

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Published In

American Journal of Sociology

DOI

ISSN

0002-9602

Publication Date

July 1, 2004

Volume

110

Issue

1

Start / End Page

123 / 160

Related Subject Headings

  • Sociology
  • 4410 Sociology
  • 1608 Sociology
 

Citation

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ICMJE
MLA
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Elman, C., & O’Rand, A. M. (2004). The race is to the swift: Socioeconomic origins, adult education, and wage attainment. In American Journal of Sociology (Vol. 110, pp. 123–160). https://doi.org/10.1086/386273
Elman, C., and A. M. O’Rand. “The race is to the swift: Socioeconomic origins, adult education, and wage attainment.” In American Journal of Sociology, 110:123–60, 2004. https://doi.org/10.1086/386273.
Elman C, O’Rand AM. The race is to the swift: Socioeconomic origins, adult education, and wage attainment. In: American Journal of Sociology. 2004. p. 123–60.
Elman, C., and A. M. O’Rand. “The race is to the swift: Socioeconomic origins, adult education, and wage attainment.” American Journal of Sociology, vol. 110, no. 1, 2004, pp. 123–60. Scopus, doi:10.1086/386273.
Elman C, O’Rand AM. The race is to the swift: Socioeconomic origins, adult education, and wage attainment. American Journal of Sociology. 2004. p. 123–160.
Journal cover image

Published In

American Journal of Sociology

DOI

ISSN

0002-9602

Publication Date

July 1, 2004

Volume

110

Issue

1

Start / End Page

123 / 160

Related Subject Headings

  • Sociology
  • 4410 Sociology
  • 1608 Sociology