Background: Social inequalities in labor force participation are well established, but the causes of these inequalities are not fully understood. The present study aims to investigate the association between educational qualification and labor market marginalization (LMM) among mature-aged working men and to examine to what extent the association can be explained by risk factors over the life course.

Method: The study was based on a cohort of men born between 1949 and 1951 who were examined for Swedish military service in 1969/70 and employed in 2000 (n=41,685). Data on educational qualification was obtained in 2000 and information on the outcome of LMM (unemployment, sickness absence, and disability pension) was obtained between 2001 and 2008. Information on early health behaviors, cognitive ability, previous employment histories, and mental health was collected from conscription examinations and nationwide registers.

Results: Evidence of a graded association between years of education and LMM was found. In the crude model, compared to men with the highest level of education men with less than 12years of schooling had more than a 2.5-fold increased risk of health-related LMM and more than a 1.5-fold increased risk of non-health-related LMM. Risk factors measured across the life course explained a large part of the association between education and health-related LMM (33-61%) and non-health-related LMM (13-58%).

Conclusions: Educational differences remained regarding LMM among mature-aged workers, even after considering several important risk factors measured across the life course. Previous health problems and disrupted employment histories explained the largest part of the associations.