Based on Ghazalah's findings, which indicated that vocational education was an extremely profitable investment for both society and the individual choosing to go into a vocational program, the variables that had an effect on wages and earnings were examined. With the cooperation of a vocational school in a rural Appalachian Ohio community, data were compiled which determined 2 ability variables, class rank and IQ, of the 1971 graduating class. Using a questionnaire, data were collected from the graduates to determine their: social class (using Hollingshead's Two-Factor Index of Social Position), employment the first year after graduation, beginning wages, wages at the end of one year, and estimated yearly earnings. A stepwise regression was used to predict beginning wages, wages after one year, and estimated yearly earnings of 50 vocational and non-vocational graduates who went directly to work. Independent variables used were sex, class rank, IQ, father's level of schooling, number of jobs held, and program from which the student graduated. Some findings were: (1) for beginning wages, only sex and the number of jobs subsequently held had significant effect; (2) after initial entry into the labor force, class rank and sex had a significant effect on estimated yearly earnings and wages after one year; and (3) type of program did not significantly affect wages and earnings during the student's first year after graduation. (NQ)