https://doi.org/10.1177/1360780419867710 Sociological Research Online 1–19 © The Author(s) 2019 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/1360780419867710 journals.sagepub.com/home/sro Marrying Within the Alma Mater: Understanding the Role of Same-University Marriages in Educational Homogamy Karly Sarita Ford Pennsylvania State University, USA Abstract Most prior work on educational homogamy does not distinguish between college attendees who marry someone who attended the same university (same-university marriages) and those who marry someone who attended a different university (different-university marriages). This article estimates the prevalence of partnering between individuals who attended the same university in the United States. Using rich data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), this study finds that, among college graduates who marry other college graduates, about one third have same-university spouses. As higher education has massified and feminized, rates of same- university marriages have changed very little between 1973 and 2013. By distinguishing between same-university and different-university marriages, this article highlights the role that universities, as organizational settings, play in structuring elective affinities – Pierre Bourdieu’s term for the class-based shared experiences and tastes that form the basis of social and romantic ties. Educational homogamy contributes to social stratification by consolidating the educational and social advantages of the individuals and same-university marriages make up a significant portion of these partnerships. Keywords educational homogamy, higher education, stratification Introduction Educational homogamy (marriages between individuals with the same level of educa- tion) contributes to social stratification in the United States (Kalmijn, 1998; Blossfeld and Timm, 2003). When highly educated individuals marry, they consolidate their social Corresponding author: Karly Sarita Ford, Department of Education Policy Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, 405E Rackley Building, University Park, State College, PA 16801, USA. Email: ksf16@psu.edu 867710SRO 0 0 10.1177/1360780419867710Sociological Research OnlineFord research-article 2019 Article