In this paper, loglinear analysis is used to assess for 55 countries - and for two age groups within
these countries - the degree of educational homogamy among persons with a high educational level.
These analyses are conducted to gain insight in (the factors that affect) the strength of the tendency
towards social closure among the educational elite of the countries. In all 55 countries, the higher
educated tend to marry within their own group. However, the strength of this tendency differs
considerably among the countries. These differences are explained in terms of the level of economic
development, the dominant religion, and the size of the group of higher educated. In countries with
higher levels of economic development, in Protestant countries, and in countries with more persons
with a high educational level, the tendency among the higher educated to marry within the own group
is lower than elsewhere. Besides differences among countries, trends within countries are studied,
too. The results of this analysis indicate that in the decades after World War II, the openness of the
educational elite has increased in most of the countries.