Abstract: Background: The purpose of this study is to measure the impact of socioeconomic background and human capital on young people's labor market integration. A review of the literature suggests that in addition to human capital, other factors not directly related to individual productivity play an important role in labor marl‹et integration. Data Source & Method: The empirical work is based on the analysis of a firsthand biographical database from Bafia, a Cameroonian city. Results: Results show that young people from privileged background are more lil‹eIy to swiftly enter the wage sector than their peers from disadvantaged bacl‹ground. Conclusion: This result is not only due to the fact that former received more education than the latter but also because of the existence of a sort of privileged birth-related premium not induced by the formal education level. Keywords: youth; social inequality, education effectiveness; Labor market; family background JEL classification: J24, J62, J63.