# Longitudinal associations between cognitive ability and socioeconomic status are partially genetic in nature

## TL;DR

This study finds that genetic factors largely explain the link between cognitive ability in early adulthood and socioeconomic status later in life.

## Contribution

The study provides new evidence that genetic factors play a major role in the association between IQ and socioeconomic outcomes in emerging adults.

## Key findings

- Genetic factors explain 69–98% of the association between cognitive ability and socioeconomic status.
- Heritability of IQ is approximately 75%, and socioeconomic outcomes also show significant heritability.
- Genetic correlations between IQ and SES are stronger than environmental correlations.

## Abstract

Individual’s future socioeconomic status (SES) has been reported to be robustly predicted by cognitive ability (IQ). However, research on the genetic and environmental underpinnings of this association in emerging adults remains limited. Utilizing the German TwinLife panel data, the present study examined how IQ at early adulthood at age 23 is associated with SES at age 27 (NMZ = 228 and NDZ−SAME SEX = 212), through 2 measures on educational attainment and 2 on occupational status. Cholesky decomposition models reported the heritability of IQ at approximately 75%, and heritability on all SES outcomes. Genetic factors further explained most of the IQ–SES association (69–98%), and genetic correlations between IQ and SES exceeded environmental correlations. These findings seem to underscore the importance of researchers and policymakers to also considering genetic factors when examining the life outcomes of young adults.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-026-37786-3.