High School Employment, Dropping Out and Early Fertility among Young Men

Nicole Constance, Pennsylvania State University

This study uses data on young men in the NLSY97 to examine the relationship between high school employment and dropping out of high school and/or experiencing a first birth before age 24. Results from multinomial logistic regressions suggest that youth who work steadily (consistently 20 or fewer hours/week) in 9th and 10th grades are the most likely to both graduate and delay fertility until after 24, while youth who work intensively (consistently working 21+ hours/week) or sporadically (inconsistently working 21+ hours/week) are the most likely to drop out and both drop out and experience an early first birth. Among youth who do not drop out, those who work steadily in 11th and 12th grades are the least likely to experience an early first birth, relative to other workers, while youth who work intensively or sporadically are the most likely to experience an early first birth.