OLS Regression Analysis of Education, Marriage and Self-Esteem Across Employment Status

Abstract

This study examines the impact of years of education on self-esteem across different employment statuses, while controlling for marital status. Although previous research generally suggests that both education and marriage enhance self-esteem, limited attention has been given to differences across employment groups. Using data from 4,488 respondents in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY), standardized self-esteem scores were employed as the dependent variable, with years of education as the main independent variable. The sample was divided by employment status, and separate ordinary least squares regressions were conducted for the non-employed (n = 449) and the employed (n = 4,039). Descriptive statistics indicate that 57.9% of the respondents were married, 90% were employed, and the average years of education was 13. The results show that both education and marriage exert significant positive effects on self-esteem, with stronger impacts observed among the non-employed. Specifically, for the non-employed, the effects of education (β = 0.626, p < 0.001) and marriage (β = 1.151, p = 0.007) were both higher than those observed in the employed group (β = 0.507 and β = 0.546, respectively). These findings suggest that, in the absence of occupational identity, education and marriage serve as important sources of self-worth and social support.