NLSY79

The following tutorials are available to guide you on how to approach NLSY79 research projects, search for and extract data, and then program with NLS data:

Variable Search Using the NLS Investigator

Constructing Comparable Samples Across the NLSY79 and NLSY97 (Example: Constructing work status at age 20 for both samples)

Linking NLSY79 Mothers and Their Children. This tutorial explains how to use ID variables to link data on mothers in the NLSY79 cohort and children in the NLSY79 Child/Young Adult dataset.

Click here for a list of all NLS tutorials.

This attachment presents codebook pages for the restricted-use NLSY79 geocode variables. These codebook pages show the answer categories, frequency distributions, and other related information for the variables available in the restricted-use Geocode data. These pages are provided to help users determine whether the geocode information would be appropriate for their research needs in terms of content, sample size, etc. Codebook pages are also provided for the NLSY79 zipcode and census tract variables. 

Restricted-use Geocode data are confidential files available for use only at the BLS National Office in Washington, DC, and at Federal Statistical Research Data Centers (FSRDCs) on statistical research projects approved by BLS. Access to data is subject to the availability of space and resources. Information about applying to use the zip code and Census tract data is available on the BLS Restricted Data Access page.

Both sets of codebook pages are posted as text files:

• NLSY79 geocode codebook
• NLSY79 zipcode and Census tract codebook

Documentation for the NLSY79 FICE code data 1984-2020

This attachment contains the supplementary identification numbers for those colleges and universities not listed in the Education Directory-Colleges and Universities (1981-1992 and 1982-1983 supplement) published by the National Center for Educational Statistics. Note: Those wishing to use the FICE code data should be aware that some discrepancies and undocumented codes were detected in the codes originally assigned to some colleges and universities. CHRR has reconciled these discrepancies and has added a series of revised FICE code and FICETYPE variables to the Geocode files for survey years 1984-2020. The original FICE code variables with the discrepancies remain in the data files as well. For details on revisions to FICE codes variables, see Appendix 13: Introduction to CAPI Questionnaires and Codebooks in the Codebook Supplement. (Note: The FICE codes variables were discontinued following the 2020 survey.)

• Introduction
• Primary references for the revisions to NLSY79 FICE Code data

Introduction

The 1979-2020 release of the NLSY79 datasets includes revised FICE code variables for survey years 1984-2020. These revised variables incorporate significant case-by-case editing to previously assigned codes. Revisions were made four main reasons:

1. to identify institutions lacking valid FICE codes;
2. to distinguish international institutions from U.S. institutions;
3. to correct systematic errors and inconsistencies in the data; and
4. to identify respondents who received college credit through courses taken away from the institution's physical campus.

Note: The 700,000, 800,000 and 80,000 series of school identification codes no longer appear in the data.

This document explains the coding system for educational institutions that are found in the NLSY79 respondents' education history. Whenever possible, schools are identified by the Federal Interagency Committee on Education (FICE) code. If a particular school did not have a FICE code, the unit identification code (UNITID), an identifier used by the Integrated Postsecondary Education System (IPEDS), was imposed in its place. If no UNITID existed for an institution, an identification code assigned by CHRR is present.

In addition to the revised FICE code variables for 1984-2020, a series of corresponding FICETYPE variables has been identifying the type of identification code assigned. These variables are called 'FICE Code Type (Revised) for Most Recent College Attended,' 'FICE Code Type (Revised) for 2nd Most Recent College Attended,' and 'FICE Code Type (Revised) for 3rd Most Recent College Attended.' These FICETYPE variables take on the following values as appropriate:

• 0 Valid FICE Code
• 1 UNITID
• 2 School Identification Code for International Institutions
• 3 Respondent Taking Courses from Remote Location
• 4 School Identification Code-Institution Cannot be Verified

Primary references for the revisions to NLSY79 FICE code data

National Center for Education Statistics. 1991-1992 Directory of Postsecondary Institutions. Volumes 1 and 2. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, 1992.

____________. Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System 1991. (CD-ROM). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, 1991.

As supplementary resources, the appendices of all issues of the Directory of Postsecondary Institutions published between 1980 and 1994 were used.

Source: 2006 CBSA codes are taken from the Census Bureau standards; more information is available on the Census Bureau's Metropolitan and Micropolitan page.

This attachment provides the Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA) coding scheme used for NLSY79 geocode variables starting in 2006. Rather than MSAs, the Census Bureau now defines CBSA statistical geographic entities consisting of the county or counties associated with at least one core (urbanized area or urban cluster) with a population of at least 10,000, plus adjacent counties having a high degree of social and economic integration with the core as measured through commuting ties with the counties containing the core.

Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas are the two categories of CBSAs. Metropolitan statistical areas have at least one urbanized area of 50,000 or more population, plus adjacent territory that has a high degree of social and economic integration with the core as measured by commuting ties. Micropolitan statistical areas are a new set of statistical areas that have at least one urban cluster of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000 population, plus adjacent territory that has a high degree of social and economic integration with the core as measured by commuting ties. Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas are defined in terms of whole counties or county equivalents, including the six New England states. As of June 6, 2003, there are 362 metropolitan statistical areas and 560 micropolitan statistical areas in the United States.

The NLSY79 uses CBSA codes updated in January 2006.

• 10020-19060 (A-C)
• 19100-26780 (D-H)
• 26820-31340 (I-L)
• 31380-37100 (M-O)
• 37140-40860 (P-R)
• 40900-45060 (S)
• 45140-49780 (T-Z)

Source: 2004 MSA, CMSA and PMSA codes are taken from the 1994 County and City Data Book.

• 2004 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs)
• 2004 Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Areas (CMSAs) and Associated Primary Metropolitan Statistical Areas (PMSAs)

This attachment provides the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) coding scheme used for NLSY79 geocode variables. The first section simply lists the name and code of each MSA. For those MSAs that are also part of a Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area, the CMSA code is provided. Users should note that New England Consolidated Metropolitan Area (NECMA) codes, not MSA codes, are used for the New England states. Although NECMA codes are not listed separately in this document, they can be easily identified because they end in "3" rather than "0." The second part of this attachment lists the code and name of each CMSA, followed by an enumeration of each of the Primary Metropolitan Statistical Areas (PMSAs) which comprise the CMSA.

Users should note that these MSA codes are taken from the classifications present in the 1994 County and City Data Book. These codes are slightly different than the standard government-assigned codes provided on the Census Bureau's website and in OMB Bulletin 98-06. The key differences between the two systems are described in the final section of this attachment. Researchers interested in obtaining more detail about the MSA classification system, including a description of the counties and/or cities comprising each MSA, should consult one of these sources.

2004 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs)