Rural/Nonrural Differences in School-to-Work Transition Outcomes

• In Event: 18.059 - MTCC Roundtable Session Three
  In Roundtable Session: 18.059-9 - Transitions: Understanding Rural Student Experiences

Abstract

Using longitudinal data from the Educational Longitudinal Survey of 2002 (ELS:2002) that followed up high school sophomores in 2002 for a decade until 2012, the current study examined differences in employment status and earnings between rural and nonrural high school graduates, controlling for other variables. Our multivariate analyses showed that rural young adults were not disadvantaged in employment status and earnings in their mid-20s, compared to their nonrural counterparts. Rather, our results showed that rural young adults were more advantaged in terms of the higher likelihood of being either employed or enrolled in a postsecondary institution and higher earnings, compared to their urban counterparts. Scholarly and policy implications of these findings will be discussed.

Authors

• Soo-yong Byun, The Pennsylvania State University

• Sarah Schmitt-Wilson, Montana State University