We compared education as recorded on the death certificate with education ascertained before death from a household survey of 10,423 persons age 25 years or more who died in 1989. There was a tendency for the decedent's education to be reported at a higher level on the death certificate than at baseline. Of those who were reported as high school graduates on the death certificate, 38% reported that they had less than a high school education at baseline. The bias was more pronounced in older than younger decedents.