The absolute and relative facets of the economic gradient in educational attainment: large-scale evidence from Brazil

Villaseñor, Adrián, Esposito, Lucio, Kumar, Sunil and Macedo, Sandra (2025) The absolute and relative facets of the economic gradient in educational attainment: large-scale evidence from Brazil. European Journal of Development Research. ISSN 0957-8811 (In Press)

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Abstract

A large body of research has shown that students from better-off households tend to have higher educational achievement. However, there is scant evidence able to disentangle the role of absolute and relative economic status in affording this advantage. We address this gap by estimating econometric models where the two measures of economic status are jointly employed as explanatory variables: household income (reflecting command over resources) and relative deprivation (reflecting economic disadvantage relative to students in the same school). Using large data from seven waves of Brazilian high-stakes secondary education exams (N~8 million), we show robust evidence that both household income (0.020 SD [p<0.000]) and relative deprivation (-0.068 SD [p<0.000]) are significant predictors of exam scores. This suggests that the nature of the educational advantage granted by economic status is twofold. Although the variables available in the dataset do not allow us to test for specific mechanisms, the literature from an array of academic disciplines supports the interpretation of our empirical results that alongside the role played by household income through material pathways to education (e.g. affordability of a range of educational inputs such as food, transport, learning material, school fees, etc.), relative deprivation might also shape outcomes through psychosocial pathways related to self-esteem, aspirations, motivation and identity. In addition, our results suggest that the effects of relative deprivation might be more detrimental for those in households with higher incomes.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	education,inequality,economic status,relative deprivation,brazil,sdg 10 - reduced inequalities ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/reduced_inequalities
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Global Development (formerly School of International Development)
UEA Research Groups:	University of East Anglia Schools > Faculty of Science > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Behavioural and Experimental Development Economics Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Literacy and Development Group
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	15 Jan 2026 13:30
Last Modified:	19 Jan 2026 01:08
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/101619
DOI:

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