Occupational Assortative Mating and Gender Inequality in Earnings

Assortative mating, or the tendency to partner with someone similar to oneself, has received considerable attention in the academic literature. This similarity among individuals could be conceptualized in diverse ways — education, occupation, or economic status (earnings, inherited wealth, for example). The literature has focused mainly on educational assortative mating and its implications for between-household inequality. Our research contributes to the literature by examining assortative mating in occupation and its association with gender inequality, emphasizing inter-household and intra-household earnings inequality.

With an increase in the age of marriage and more individuals entering the labour market before marriage, occupation as a mode for meeting potential spouses is likely to gain significance. Any change in patterns of occupational assortative mating is expected to have consequences for household earnings inequality (...)