The effects of age at home leaving and pathways from home on educational attainment

Using data from the 1986-1987 National Survey of Families and Households, this article examines whether age at leaving home and the pathway front home have long-term consequences for children's educational attainment. Young adults who leave home to attend school (approximately 25% of recent cohorts) average high educational attainment, regardless of their age at home leaving. Their educational attainment, however, is significantly lower if they ever have a home-returning episode. Among the 75% who use other pathways from home, delayed home leaving is associated with significantly and substantially higher education at every level through college graduation. Net of age at home leaving, choosing premarital residential independence or military service (for men) as a pathway from home is associated with significantly higher educational attainment than leaving home through marriage or cohabitation. Effects are modestly stronger among those in more recent cohorts. The results suggest that parental coresidence until at least age 21 and a period of premarital residential independence are associated with children's higher educational attainment.