Income inequality is high in the U.S., and people tend to have friends with similar socioeconomic status.

Social relationships are an important driver of educational and occupational success.

A recent study found that cross-class friendships strongly support economic mobility.

Social connections are the lifeblood of what it means to be human. Relationships are an integral part—if not the integral part—of the human experience. We know this is true for our personal lives; our romantic partners, kids, parents, and best friends are tremendous sources of happiness. But how important are relationships, and friendships specifically, for our professional lives?

The Importance of Cross-Class Friendships for Career Success

As it turns out, friendships are valuable sources of career capital. In one of the most thorough research investigations on the relationship between friendship and occupational success, a team of researchers examined a variety of social and economic variables from 21 billion friendship formations on Facebook among over 70 million adults in order to understand how friendships shape future income prospects and economic mobility in the United States.1 The U.S. has one of (if not the) highest rates of income inequality among all post-industrialized G7 nations, so this provides a fruitful arena to study.

The results were profound: Having economic cross-class friendships was vital to future........

© Psychology Today