U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

National Longitudinal Surveys

The NLSY79

The NLSY79 is a nationally representative sample of 12,686 young men and women who were 14-22 years old when they were first surveyed in 1979. These individuals were interviewed annually through 1994 and are currently interviewed on a biennial basis. [More]

Information in the NLSY79

Summary of variables available in each round of the NLSY79 (PDF)
Overview of the NLSY79 (PDF)

NLSY79 Data and Documentation at NLSinfo.org

NLSY79 User's Guide - Helps you get started and answers many data questions
Download or order public-use data, questionnaires, and other documentation
NLSY79 Tutorial: Constructing Comparable Samples across the NLSY79 and NLSY97
NLS Investigator: - Access all NLSY79 public-use variables online
Correction of errors that appeared in previous NLSY79 data files
Customized sampling weights to properly represent the population groups your research is examining

NLSY79 Data that Require Special Permission

Information about the NLSY79 Geocode file and how to apply for access
Request access to the Census Tract, or Zip Code files

NLSY79 Press Releases

September 10, 2010: Number of Jobs Held, Labor Market Activity, and Earnings Growth Among the Youngest Baby Boomers: Results from a Longitudinal Survey [NLSY79 Round 23] (HTML) (PDF) (Supplemental Tables)
June 27, 2008: Number of Jobs Held, Labor Market Activity, and Earnings Growth Among the Youngest Baby Boomers: Results from a Longitudinal Survey [NLSY79 Round 22] (TXT) (PDF 72K) (Supplemental Tables about number of jobs and unemployment spells)
August 25, 2006: Number of Jobs Held, Labor Market Activity, and Earnings Growth Among the Youngest Baby Boomers: Results from a Longitudinal Survey [NLSY79 Round 21] (TXT) (PDF 82K) (Supplemental Tables about number of jobs and unemployment spells)
August 25, 2004: Number of Jobs Held, Labor Market Activity, and Earnings Growth Among Younger Baby Boomers: Results from More Than Two Decades of a Longitudinal Survey [NLSY79 Round 20] (TXT) (PDF 82K) (Supplemental Tables )
August 27, 2002: Number of Jobs Held, Labor Market Activity, and Earnings Growth Among Younger Baby Boomers: Results from More Than Two Decades of a Longitudinal Survey [NLSY79 Round 19] (TXT) (PDF 79K) (Supplemental Tables )
April 25, 2000: Number of Jobs Held, Labor Market Activity, and Earnings Growth Over Two Decades: Results From a Longitudinal Survey [NLSY79 Round 18] (TXT) (PDF 67K)
June 24, 1998: Number of Jobs, Labor Market Experience, and Earnings Growth: Results from a Longitudinal Survey [NLSY79 Round 17] (TXT)

Last Modified Date: June 6, 2011