Abstract

PENARRETA-QUEZADA, Miguel-Ángel; SALAS-TENESACA, Eulalia-Elizabeth; ALVAREZ-GARCIA, José  and  CRUZ DEL RIO-RAMA, María de la. Socio-demographic variables and levels of financial education among young university students in Ecuador. Rev. mex. econ. finanz [online]. 2024, vol.19, n.1, e920.  Epub May 20, 2024. ISSN 2448-6795.  https://doi.org/10.21919/remef.v19i1.920.

This study investigates the relationship between sociodemographic variables and the level of fin ancial education among university students in Ecuador. Using data from 1,011 surveys and non-parametric analysis, it examines how age, gender, employment status, and field of study relate to students' financial knowledge, behavior, and attitudes. The results reveal that the majority of students in Ecuador possess a moderate level of financial education, signifying their ability to apply basic financial concepts in everyday situations but with limitations in more complex scenarios. Additionally, it was found that age, field of study, and employment status significantly influence the dimensions of financial education. This pioneering study in the Ecuadorian context underscores the importance of considering sociodemographic factors when designing financial education strategies tailored to university students, with the aim of strengthening the financial education of this population.

Keywords : Financial Literacy; youth; personal finance.