The pattern of intergenerational education mobility and its correlation with the financial situation

Disadvantages of the resilient after graduation

Abstract

Both school mobility studies and resilience tests call attention to the fact that in Hungary, compared to other European countries, origins hold a more significant place in school progression, as they clearly do regarding entering workforce careers and developing adult financial standing. Regarding this topic, in our study, we attempt to answer the following questions: 1) How does school mobility between the generations develop in Hungarian society today? 2) What differences persist in the school mobility patterns between the two genders and some of the age groups? 3) How does the school mobility track affect income? Is it possible to describe, on a societal level, identifiable differences between those who have the same academic achievement, yet differ in their origin?

Our empirical results are based on the Social Stratification survey (n=101 165) connected to its 2016 Microcensus (n=795 372), which represents the population aged 16 and over living in private households. Our present analysis expands even further to those who are employed between the ages of 25 and 59 (n=43707).

Based on our results, a greater proportion of the employed (57%) attained higher education achievement than their fathers did. The ratio of the upwardly mobile is lower among men and younger age groups. This result, however, does not necessarily mean that society has become more closed. After all, as the structure of educational achievement for the parents’ generation becomes more favorable, it is only natural that upward mobility for the children starts to narrow. Simultaneously, multi-step mobility for children becomes increasingly more difficult for those with parents with the lowest academic achievement. Beside this, origins have a serious impact on the differentiation of financial situations. The chances of getting placed into the higher or lower income categories are increased by the parents’ academic achievement (the higher belonging to those with parents who have higher school achievement, the lower to those whose parents have lower academic achievement), even if the child’s educational achievement is the same. Thus, the resilients (here: graduates with fathers with elementary school degrees) have lower incomes than those with the same academic achievement who come from graduate families.

Our empirical results are based on Social Stratification survey (n=101 165) connected to its 2016 Microcensus (n=795 372), which represents the population aged 16 and over living in private households. Our present analysis expands even further to those who are employed between the ages of 25 and 59 (n=43707).

Based on our results, a large proportion of the employed (57%) attained higher education achievement than their fathers. The ratio of the upward mobile is lower among men and younger age groups. This result, however, does not necessarily mean that society would have become more closed. After all, as the structure of educational achievement for the parents’ generation becomes more favorable, it is only natural that the upward mobility for the children starts to narrow. Simultaneously, multi-step mobility for children becomes increasingly more difficult for those with parents with the lowest academic achievement. Beside this, origins have a serious impact on the differentialization of financial situations. The chances of getting placed into the higher or lower income categories are increased by the parents’ academic achievement (the higher belonging to those with parents who have higher school achievement, the lower to those whose parents have lower academic achievement), even if the child’s educational achievement is the same. Thus, the resilients (here: graduates with fathers with elementary school degrees) have lower income than those with the same academic achievement who come from graduate families.