Trends in Education in Relation to the Occupational Structure

The trend in the relationship between formal education and occupation is examined, with special reference to the problems of educational supply and demand. The analysis is based primarily on census data for 1940, 1950, and 1960 for men at prime working ages. The association of education and occupation is found to be moderate but declining. The increase in the educational level of the labor-force is considerably more a function of the risintg educational attainment of specfic occupations than of the changing occupational structure. Possible explanations of the trend are offered, and some implications of the findings are discussed.