Race-ethnicity, Foreign-born Status, and Poverty among the Children of STEM Graduates

Although the number of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) graduates is increasing, few studies have examined the implications of STEM credentials for the well-being of children. Using data from the 2018–2022 American Community Survey, this study examines racial and ethnic inequalities in poverty among the children of STEM graduates, and whether these inequalities are shaped by foreign-born status. The results show several patterns of inequality in child poverty, which are conditional on ethno-racial differences and the occupational outcomes of STEM graduates. For example, Black and Hispanic children, who have the highest poverty rates, are the most likely to have parents with STEM degrees who are not employed in STEM jobs and parents with jobs with lower levels of prestige. The results also show higher levels of child poverty in foreign-born compared to U.S.-born STEM households. However, in U.S.-born STEM households, the employment of STEM graduates in occupations in the highest quartiles is associated with a greater poverty advantage among Whites than non-Whites. Conversely, the employment of STEM graduates in occupations in the lowest quartiles accentuates the disadvantage of Blacks compared to non-Blacks. Finally, the results indicate that in foreign-born STEM households, the poverty outcomes of Black children of STEM graduates are identical to those of White children whose parents never went to college.