Figure G
Educational upgrading among men did little to offset declines in labor force participation: Decomposition of labor force participation rates, by gender and educational attainment (college vs. noncollege), 1979–2024
| Ppt. change in share (between group) | Ppt. change in LFPR (within group) | |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 4.3 | 11.1 |
| Men | 0.8 | -5.9 |
Notes: The between-group estimates explain how much of the change in men's and women's labor force participation rates can be explained by changes in the education group shares. The within-group estimates explain how much of the change in men's and women's labor force participation can be explained by changes in demographic groups.
Source: EPI analysis of the Current Population Survey (CPS) basic monthly microdata, EPI Current Population Survey Extracts, Version 2025.6.11, https://microdata.epi.org.
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