Accessing Data / Cohorts

It is recommended that users build custom data sets in Investigator for their particular research instead of downloading entire sets due to the extraordinarily large amount of NLS data. Users may access custom sets via the Investigator, the NLS online search and extraction tool.

For users who have the capacity to utilize extremely large data files and the programs to handle them, downloads are available for NLSY97, NLSY79, and NLSCYA. Currently, the original cohorts: Mature Women, Young Women, Older Men, and Young Men are unavailable. Please visit the Investigator website to access these cohorts.

Each download file includes a data file (.dat); a codebook file (.cdb); an Excel file (.csv); programs to read the data into SAS (.sas) and R (.R); and a tagset file listing all reference numbers (.COHORT NAME). Stata and SPSS programs are available through Investigator but are not included here.

National Longitudinal Surveys (NLS) Cohort Data Sets

Currently unavailable:

  • NLS Mature Women
    Mature women born in the years 1922-37
  • NLS Young Women
    Young women born in the years 1943-53
  • NLS Older Men
    Older men born in the years 1906-21
  • NLS Young Men
    Young men born in the years 1941-52