Socioeconomic or Race Differences?

This study analyzed data from a national sample of 4, 573 high school senior females in the class of 1980. Females from high-income families have the highest levels of education plans. However, when compared to White females, Black females (a) in all family income categories are less likely to plan to terminate education with high school graduation, (b) in families with incomes less than 25, 000 are more likely to plan graduate education, and (c) in families with incomes greater than 25, 000 are more likely to plan a doctoral degree. Multiple regression analysis supported the notion that a female is more likely to plan higher education if she has a mother with higher education, is from a higher-income family, is Black, and lives in a mother-only family. Although the impact of socioeconomic factors on female educational aspirations is significant, the effect of race cannot be discounted.