THE RELATION OF LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND GENDER TO JOB SATISFACTION.

Abstract

Changing demographic characteristics of the American workforce include increased levels of education and increased numbers of females. In 1979, females became a majority in the workforce and in higher education. Little research has been conducted on the impact of education and gender on job satisfaction since these changes have occurred. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in job satisfaction associated with level of education and gender. The data of the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 were used to answer the research questions: (1) Were there significant differences among education levels when measured by any of three measures of job satisfaction? and (2) Were there significant differences between males and females on any of the three measures of job satisfaction? Three levels of education were used, these were: high school graduate, two year college graduate, and four-year college graduate were the independent variable for education. Since the literature indicated job level, ability, and socioeconomic status could influence job satisfaction, they were included in the analysis as covariates. Multivariate analyses were used to determine whether education, gender or the interaction of these independent variables resulted in significant differences in any of the three measures of job satisfaction. The multivariate analyses indicated that there were significant differences for both level of education and for gender on the job satisfaction variables considered simultaneously. There was no significant interaction between the education and gender variables. Univariate analyses indicated that there were significant differences for both education and gender on the internal job satisfaction measure, but not on the external or overall measures. The Scheffe post hoc test was used to identify which levels of the education variable were responsible for the significant differences found. Two-year college graduates and four-year college graduates were found to be more satisfied with the internal aspects of their jobs than high school graduates. Similarly, males were found to be more satisfied with the internal aspects of their jobs than were females.