Jere R. Behrman
Viviana Vélez Grajales

Documento de trabajo CEEY no. 09/2015

This paper presents estimates of intergenerational schooling, occupational and household wealth mobility for Mexico. The authors found that individuals have experienced upward intergenerational absolute mobility for the three outcomes. Results concerning relative mobility differ by outcome. Intergenerational relative schooling mobility increased steadily over the years for every subgroup of the population. Estimates within each cohort suggest that relative mobility is roughly constant along the distribution of completed grades of schooling. Intergenerational relative occupational mobility increases with the age of the individual, except for individuals with an indigenous origin. The level of mobility differs notably at different points of the distribution. Individuals’ occupational choice is more dependent on their fathers’ occupation at the top end of the distribution. Intergenerational household wealth mobility is slightly higher when old as well. That is, wealth of older generations is less dependent on their families’ wealth. The same pattern is observed for the vulnerable groups: women, individuals who were raised in rural areas and indigenous people.