Status Returns to Spatial Mobility in the Transition from School to Work

Spatial mobility drives status attainment, contributing to the perpetuation of social inequalities. While most research focused on adult workers’ monetary returns from commuting or relocating, early career gains in occupational status may be more significant from a life course perspective. This study examines the transition from school to Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Germany, asking: 1) Do spatially mobile young people obtain higher-status VET positions? 2) To what extent are such status returns to spatial mobility moderated by young people’s local opportunity structures and the institutional constraints related to their level of schooling?

We use longitudinal data from the German National Educational Panel Study merged with geospatial data at the district level (NUTS-3). Our dependent variable is status attainment, measured by the International Socio-Economic Index (ISEI). To account for self-selection in spatial mobility, we consider young people’s occupational status aspirations, also measured by ISEI, as a control variable in our conditional regression models, alongside established control variables.

Our findings indicate that spatial mobility particularly benefits young people from structurally weak regions and those with higher levels of schooling. This has important implications for social inequalities. First, young people facing limited local opportunity structures can improve their career prospects through spatial mobility, potentially reducing regional inequalities in status attainment. Second, spatial mobility tends to widen the gap in status attainment between those with higher and those with lower secondary education. Notably, spatial mobility does not expand occupational options for individuals with lower secondary education, highlighting strong institutional barriers tied to educational credentials.