The Limits of Educational Mobility: Examining Socioeconomic Disparities Among College Graduates by First-Generation Status

Higher education is often viewed as a pathway to social mobility, yet questions remain about whether college degrees equalize outcomes across different family backgrounds. This study examines whether first-generation college graduates achieve similar socioeconomic outcomes as their continuing-generation peers. Drawing on Bourdieu’s theory of capital, the analysis investigates disparities in income, occupational prestige, and subjective social class identification. Using data from the General Social Survey (1972-2022), I employ multivariate regression models to analyze socioeconomic outcomes among 12,526 college graduates, including 4,351 with data on academic major. Results reveal persistent disadvantages for first-generation graduates across all three dimensions of socioeconomic status, even after controlling for demographic characteristics and field of study. First-generation graduates earn 9.2-14.4% less income, work in less prestigious occupations, and are significantly less likely to identify with higher social classes compared to continuing-generation graduates with similar characteristics. These disparities have remained relatively stable over time, suggesting that the expansion of higher education access has not eliminated the advantages associated with having college-educated parents. Furthermore, controlling for academic major actually reveals larger disparities, contradicting assumptions that academic major choice explains these differences. These findings indicate that while higher education provides significant benefits for all graduates, it alone is insufficient to fully disrupt intergenerational advantages transmitted through economic, cultural, and social capital. The study contributes to theoretical understanding of social reproduction and suggests the need for targeted interventions to support first-generation graduates throughout their academic and professional trajectories.