Table 1

Descriptive Statistics

VariableMeanSDMinimumMaximum
Sample: 91,480 black mothers
 Mother’s age35.24.42843
 Mother’s years of schooling 8.13.2 016
 Mother’s age at first birth19.53.11239
 Children born to the mother 4.72.1 115
 Child’s age10.42.7 615
 Daughters 0.50.5 0 1
 Child is currently attending school0.970.16 0 1
 Child’s years of schooling3.512.55 010
Sample: 50,026 black fathers
 Father’s age36.74.12843
 Father’s years of schooling 9.73.3 016
 Child’s age 9.72.7 615
 Daughters 0.50.5 0 1
 Child is currently attending school 0.970.16 0 1
 Child’s years of schooling 2.962.48 010
  • Notes: The first sample in this table is composed of black children ages 6–15 years at the time of the 2002 population census matched with their black mothers; the second sample is composed of the same age group of children matched with their black fathers. In both samples, the parents were restricted to the ages 6–21 years in 1980 and to persons identified in the census as either the head of household or the unique spouse of the household head.