The Social and Political Consequences of Overeducation

This study employs national survey data to estimate the extent of overeducation in the U.S. labor force and its impact on a variety of worker attitudes. Estimates are made of the extent of overeducation and its distribution among different categories of workers, according to sex, race, age, and class background. The effects of overeducation are examined in four areas of worker attitudes: job satisfaction, political leftism, political alienation, and stratification ideology. Evidence is found of significant effects of overeducation on job satisfaction and several aspects of stratification ideology. The magnitude of these effects is small, however, and they are concentrated almost exclusively among very highly overeducated workers. No evidence is found of generalized political effects of overeducation, either in the form of increased political leftism or in the form of increased political alienation. These findings fail to support the common prediction of major political repercussions of overeducation and suggest the likelihood of alternative forms of adaptation among overeducated workers.