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The survey is the preeminent resource for understanding the labor market experiences of people in the U.S.
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — RTI International, a nonprofit research institute, will partner with Rice University and the University of Kansas to establish the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 2027 cohort (NLSY27) as part of a new contract awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
The survey is the preeminent resource for understanding the labor market experiences of people from adolescence through middle age and the underlying factors that contribute to their labor market experience.
“We are honored to collaborate with BLS on this incredible national resource,” said RTI principal scientist and project director Charlie Knott. “The NLSY27 design will allow BLS, researchers, and policymakers to rigorously investigate outcomes in the labor market and the effects those outcomes have on people’s financial well-being and personal decisions.”
The survey will follow the same cohort for more than four decades and ask a standard set of questions that collect detailed data on participants’ employment, training, education, income, assets, their changes in jobs and living locations, and more.
Misty Heggeness, associate professor of public affairs and economics at the University of Kansas will lead KU’s participation in the partnership, and Rice University’s participation will be led by Flavio Cunha, Ervin K. Zingler Chair of Economics and Department Chair, Economics.
“The science of data collection and integration producing high-quality statistics is ever evolving in today's world of big data and technological advancements,” said Heggeness. “The NLSY27 provides an amazing opportunity for the BLS in collaboration with the RTI team and its partners to innovate economic data and related statistics, and we are so excited to be a part of that process."
“For many years, the National Longitudinal Surveys have stood as a cornerstone for labor economists investigating the labor market dynamics and pivotal life events across various cohorts of young Americans,” said Cunha. “Our anticipation grows as we embark on a collaboration with RTI to develop the NLSY27. We believe that delivering a product of exceptional quality will not only propel scientific progress but also spark innovation in public policy. This partnership is a forward-looking endeavor that illustrates our commitment to fostering meaningful impacts in the realms of science and policy.”
“There is much to learn from the latest generation of youth, and we are excited to engage with them through the NLSY and seeing the positive impacts that will come from the NLSY27 data,” added RTI associate project director Kim Aspinwall.
Learn more about NLSY27 (via BLS)
Learn more about RTI’s survey and data collection capabilities
