OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether the timing and nature of women's transitions out of full-time (FT) education are related to later life subjective well-being and the life course experiences that might explain any associations seen. METHOD: Data are from women in wave 3 of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing who have participated in the life history interview and were aged 50+ at the interview (n=3,889). Using multichannel sequence analysis, we identified six types of transition out of FT education (ages 14-26). Regression models were used to examine associations between transition types and life satisfaction, quality of life, and depressive symptoms at age 50+. RESULTS: Women who made early transitions to married parenthood and FT domestic labour had lower levels of wellbeing on all three later life well-being outcomes (p&0.01), compared to women who made later transitions to family life and remained employed. Women who remained single up to age 26 also had lower life satisfaction (p&0.05) and quality of life (p&0.01) in later life than their counterparts who married and had children. These associations were explained by the life course socioeconomic and relationship pathways. Advantaged childhood socioeconomic circumstances and higher educational qualifications set 'Later Marriage and Later employment' women apart onto advantaged trajectories and a better quality of life later (p&0.01). DISCUSSION: The timing and nature of exits from FT education played a pivotal role in setting people onto lifecourse trajectories that influence wellbeing in later life for this older generation of women
