Contrary to common belief, education does not increase family formation for men
As fertility rates around the world decline rapidly, policymakers have become increasingly interested in understanding the factors that influence fertility. What is the relationship between education and family formation? Is it causal? Do educated women face greater challenges in forming families? Can education increase family formation rates for men with low levels of education?
In a recent IZA Discussion Paper, we examine the effects of education on family formation by looking at admissions to secondary and tertiary education in Finland. The results show that getting into further education does not increase the likelihood that men will form families. In contrast, women who pursue further education are more likely to live with a partner and have children. These findings challenge the common belief that education hinders family formation for women but helps men find a partner.
The rates at which men at all levels of education form families have fallen over the past several decades. However, today, as in the past, men with higher levels of education are most likely to form families. Our analysis suggests that these differences in family formation are driven by the types of men who pursue education rather than by education itself. There may be several reasons for this. Men who pursue education might have stronger preferences for forming families or possess other qualities that make them attractive as partners. Conversely, men with low levels of education may face obstacles to family formation that education cannot overcome.
Among women born in the 1940s, those with tertiary education were the least likely to form families. However, women born after 1975 who obtain tertiary degrees are more likely to form families than their peers with lower levels of education. A lot has changed in the last half-century. Social and family policies, such as the expansion of public childcare, have made it easier to balance career and family. Equally, gender norms have become more progressive.
To delve into the potential mechanisms, we pre-registered and tested hypotheses that could explain why education increases family formation for women but not for men. Our findings support the idea that as increased returns to social skills shift the burden of child development from schools to parents, particularly mothers, education can make women more attractive as potential partners.
© Hanna Virtanen, Mikko Silliman, Tiina Kuuppelomaki, and Kristiina Huttunen
Hanna Virtanen is Chief Research Scientist and an Academy Research Fellow at ETLA Economic Research, Helsinki, Finland, and IZA Research Fellow
Mikko Silliman is Assistant Professor at Aalto University, and IZA Research Affiliate
Tiina Kuuppelomäki is researcher at Labour Institute for Economic Research, Helsinki, Finland
Kristiina Huttunen is research fellow at the Aalto University, Helsinki, Finland, and IZA Research Fellow
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We recognize that IZA World of Labor articles may prompt discussion and possibly controversy. Opinion pieces, such as the one above, capture ideas and debates concisely, and anchor them with real-world examples. Opinions stated here do not necessarily reflect those of the IZA.
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