The Negative Effect of Living in a Stepparent Family on College Graduation: Searching for an Explanation

Roger A. Wojtkiewicz, Ball State University
Mellisa Holtzman, Ball State University

This paper uses data from NELS to consider the effect of living in a stepparent family on the log-odds of college graduation. Our analysis finds that children who lived with mother/stepfather in eighth grade not only have a lower log-odds of college graduation than children who lived with two biological parents but, once family income and parental education are controlled, also do worse than children who lived with mother only. A significant part of the difference in college graduation between those who lived with mother/stepfather and those who lived with two biological parents is explained by the control variables in the analysis but a large part remains even after fifteen control variables are considered. Our analysis was not able to explain any of the difference in college graduation, once family income and parental education were controlled, between those who lived with mother/stepfather and those who lived with mother only.