Education and Subjective Well-Being: A Mixed-Methods Study Across Occupational Groups

This study examines how education relates to subjective well-being, moving beyond the economic view that ties well-being mainly to income. It draws on data from 92 adults in Jodhpur, India, spanning four occupational groups, namely students, professionals, and skilled and unskilled workers. A mixed-methods design was adopted. Quantitative data were gathered using the Mind-Wandering Questionnaire (MWQ), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and Ryff's Psychological Well-Being Scale, and were analysed through one-way ANOVA and correlation. Semi-structured interviews were analysed thematically to understand how people connect education to their emotional and social lives. Educational attainment shows a significant positive association with total psychological well-being (r = .34), personal growth (r = .28), and positive relations (r = .30), and group differences across education levels are significant for positive relations and total well-being, with the largest effects at the postgraduate level and above. The association does not extend to autonomy, attentional control, or self-acceptance, and it does not appear across occupational groups, which indicates that well-being tracks education more closely than occupation. A plateau is visible beyond the postgraduate level. The thematic analysis supports these patterns. Participants describe education less as a route to employment and more as a source of self-respect, emotional balance, and relational capacity. These findings suggest that educational policy should make room for emotional and relational development alongside academic attainment.