Abstract: Overeducation is widespread across the countries in the world．However，not much is known about the patterns of overeducation in China．This paper examines levels，trends and patterns of overeducation in China over the last 20 years．Overeducation rate in China increased from 7.24% in 1990 to 12.26% in 2000，and further to 28.16% in 2010. The pace was much more rapid in the second decade than in the first decade．Overeducation is substantial across all the population sub-groups，with widening differentials．Overeducation rates in the big cities like Beijing and Shanghai are much higher than elsewhere in China．China’s rapidly increasing overeducation is largely a result of the implementation of college expansion policy started in the late 1990s．

Keywords: Overeducation, Educational Attainment, Occupation, College Expansion

摘要： 教育过度是世界各国普遍存在的现象。但是对这一问题的研究主要是在发达国家，发展中国家的研究还不多。文章的目的是考察中国近20 年来教育过度现象的趋势和差异。中国教育过度呈现不断增长趋势，从1990 年的7.24%，到2000 年的12.26%，再增加到2010 年的28.16%，后十年的上升幅度大大超过前十年。不同群体的教育过度率也都呈现不断增长趋势，且差异不断扩大。北京、上海等大城市的教育过度率大大高于其他地区。中国教育过度的迅速增长，一个主要的原因是高校扩招政策的实施。各类中高等教育规模迅速扩张的后果之一就是导致高校毕业生的增长速度远远高于就业岗位的增加速度。在巨大的就业压力下，形成了很多从业人员教育程度远远高于工作所要求水平的“教育过度”现象。

关键词: 教育过度, 受教育程度, 职业, 高校扩招