Trends in childlessness among highly educated men in Sweden

This study examines trends in childlessness among highly educated men in Sweden over the period of higher educational expansion. Though women now outnumber men among graduates, the favourable partner market has not been associated with decreased childlessness among highly educated men. In this study, I examine how the field of study, sex ratio in educational institution, and income are related to the likelihood of childlessness among highly educated men over thirty birth cohorts (1945-1974). I find that men with technical oriented education, and men with lower incomes, are more likely to remain childless and that this pattern is consistent across cohorts studied. A negative association between birth cohort and childlessness emerges in a multivariate logistic model when differences in study experiences, income, and background variables are taken into account. These findings suggest that compositional changes within the highly educated group are an explanation for the persistently high levels of childlessness among highly educated men.