Version info: Code for this page was tested in Stata 12.

Multinomial logistic regression is used to model nominal
outcome variables, in which the log odds of the outcomes are modeled as a linear
combination of the predictor variables.

Please note: The purpose of this page is to show how to use various data analysis commands.
It does not cover all aspects of the research process which researchers are expected to do. In
particular, it does not cover data cleaning and checking, verification of assumptions, model
diagnostics and potential follow-up analyses.

Examples of multinomial logistic regression

Example 1. People’s occupational choices might be influenced
by their parents’ occupations and their own education level. We can study the
relationship of one’s occupation choice with education level and father’s
occupation.  The occupational choices will be the outcome variable which
consists of categories of occupations.

Example 2. A biologist may be
interested in food choices that alligators make. Adult alligators might have
different preferences from young ones. The outcome variable here will be the
types of food, and the predictor variables might be size of the alligators
and other environmental variables.

Example 3. Entering high school students make program choices among general program,
vocational program and academic program. Their choice might be modeled using
their writing score and their social economic status.

Description of the data

For our data analysis example, we will expand the third example using the
hsbdemo data set. Let’s first read in the data.

use https://stats.idre.ucla.edu/stat/data/hsbdemo, clear

The data set contains variables on 200 students. The outcome variable is prog, program type. The predictor variables
are social economic status, ses,  a three-level categorical variable
and writing score, write, a continuous variable. Let’s start with
getting some descriptive statistics of the
variables of interest.

tab prog ses, chi2

   type of |               ses
   program |       low     middle       high |     Total
-----------+---------------------------------+----------
   general |        16         20          9 |        45 
  academic |        19         44         42 |       105 
  vocation |        12         31          7 |        50 
-----------+---------------------------------+----------
     Total |        47         95         58 |       200 

          Pearson chi2(4) =  16.6044   Pr = 0.002

table prog, con(mean write sd write)

------------------------------------
type of   |
program   | mean(write)    sd(write)
----------+-------------------------
  general |    51.33333     9.397776
 academic |    56.25714     7.943343
 vocation |       46.76     9.318754
------------------------------------

Analysis methods you might consider

Multinomial logistic regression

Below we use the mlogit command to estimate a multinomial logistic regression
model. The i. before ses indicates that ses is a indicator
variable (i.e.,
categorical variable), and that it should be included in the model. We
have also used the option “base” to indicate the category we would want
to use for the baseline comparison group. In the model below, we have chosen to
use the academic program type as the baseline category.

 mlogit prog i.ses write, base(2)

Iteration 0:   log likelihood = -204.09667  
Iteration 1:   log likelihood = -180.80105  
Iteration 2:   log likelihood = -179.98724  
Iteration 3:   log likelihood = -179.98173  
Iteration 4:   log likelihood = -179.98173  

Multinomial logistic regression                   Number of obs   =        200
                                                  LR chi2(6)      =      48.23
                                                  Prob > chi2     =     0.0000
Log likelihood = -179.98173                       Pseudo R2       =     0.1182

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        prog |      Coef.   Std. Err.      z    P>|z|     [95% Conf. Interval]
-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- 
general      |
         ses |
          2  |   -.533291   .4437321    -1.20   0.229     -1.40299     .336408
          3  |  -1.162832   .5142195    -2.26   0.024    -2.170684   -.1549804
             |
       write |  -.0579284   .0214109    -2.71   0.007    -.0998931   -.0159637
       _cons |   2.852186   1.166439     2.45   0.014     .5660075    5.138365
-------------+----------------------------------------------------------------
academic     |  (base outcome)
-------------+----------------------------------------------------------------
vocation     |
         ses |
          2  |   .2913931   .4763737     0.61   0.541    -.6422822    1.225068
          3  |  -.9826703   .5955669    -1.65   0.099     -2.14996    .1846195
             |
       write |  -.1136026   .0222199    -5.11   0.000    -.1571528   -.0700524
       _cons |     5.2182   1.163549     4.48   0.000     2.937686    7.498714
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The ratio of the probability of choosing one outcome category over the
probability of choosing the baseline category is often referred to as relative risk
(and it is also sometimes referred to as odds as we have just used to described the
regression parameters above).  Relative risk can be obtained by
exponentiating the linear equations above, yielding
regression coefficients that are relative risk ratios for a unit change in the
predictor variable.  We can use the rrr option for
mlogit command to display the regression results in terms of relative risk
ratios.

mlogit, rrr

Multinomial logistic regression                   Number of obs   =        200
                                                  LR chi2(6)      =      48.23
                                                  Prob > chi2     =     0.0000
Log likelihood = -179.98173                       Pseudo R2       =     0.1182

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        prog |        RRR   Std. Err.      z    P>|z|     [95% Conf. Interval]
-------------+----------------------------------------------------------------
general      |
         ses |
          2  |    .586671   .2603248    -1.20   0.229     .2458607     1.39991
          3  |   .3125996   .1607448    -2.26   0.024     .1140996     .856432
             |
       write |   .9437175   .0202059    -2.71   0.007     .9049342     .984163
       _cons |   17.32562   20.20928     2.45   0.014     1.761221    170.4369
-------------+----------------------------------------------------------------
academic     |  (base outcome)
-------------+----------------------------------------------------------------
vocation     |
         ses |
          2  |   1.338291   .6375264     0.61   0.541     .5260904    3.404399
          3  |   .3743103   .2229268    -1.65   0.099     .1164888    1.202761
             |
       write |   .8926126   .0198338    -5.11   0.000     .8545734    .9323449
       _cons |   184.6016    214.793     4.48   0.000     18.87213    1805.719
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We can test for an overall effect of ses
using the test command. Below we see that the overall effect of ses is
statistically significant.

test 2.ses 3.ses

 ( 1)  [general]2.ses = 0
 ( 2)  [academic]2.ses = 0
 ( 3)  [vocation]2.ses = 0
 ( 4)  [general]3.ses = 0
 ( 5)  [academic]3.ses = 0
 ( 6)  [vocation]3.ses = 0
       Constraint 2 dropped
       Constraint 5 dropped

           chi2(  4) =   10.82
         Prob > chi2 =    0.0287

More specifically, we can also test if the effect of 3.ses in
predicting general vs. academic equals the effect of 3.ses in
predicting vocation vs. academic using the test command again. The test
shows that the effects are not statistically different from each other.

test [general]3.ses = [vocation]3.ses

 ( 1)  [general]3.ses - [vocation]3.ses = 0

           chi2(  1) =    0.08
         Prob > chi2 =    0.7811

You can also use predicted probabilities to help you understand the model.
You can calculate predicted probabilities using the margins command. Below we use the margins command to
calculate the predicted probability of choosing each program type at each level
of ses, holding all other variables in the model at their means. Since
there are three possible outcomes, we will need to use the margins command three
times, one for each outcome value.

margins ses, atmeans predict(outcome(1))

Adjusted predictions                              Number of obs   =        200
Model VCE    : OIM

Expression   : Pr(prog==general), predict(outcome(1))
at           : 1.ses           =        .235 (mean)
               2.ses           =        .475 (mean)
               3.ses           =         .29 (mean)
               write           =      52.775 (mean)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             |            Delta-method
             |     Margin   Std. Err.      z    P>|z|     [95% Conf. Interval]
-------------+----------------------------------------------------------------
         ses |
          1  |   .3581927   .0726423     4.93   0.000     .2158163     .500569
          2  |   .2283338   .0451162     5.06   0.000     .1399075      .31676
          3  |   .1784932   .0540486     3.30   0.001     .0725598    .2844266
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

margins ses, atmeans predict(outcome(2))

Adjusted predictions                              Number of obs   =        200
Model VCE    : OIM

Expression   : Pr(prog==academic), predict(outcome(2))
at           : 1.ses           =        .235 (mean)
               2.ses           =        .475 (mean)
               3.ses           =         .29 (mean)
               write           =      52.775 (mean)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             |            Delta-method
             |     Margin   Std. Err.      z    P>|z|     [95% Conf. Interval]
-------------+----------------------------------------------------------------
         ses |
          1  |   .4396842   .0779925     5.64   0.000     .2868217    .5925466
          2  |   .4777488   .0552593     8.65   0.000     .3694426     .586055
          3  |   .7009021   .0663042    10.57   0.000     .5709483    .8308559
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
margins ses, atmeans predict(outcome(3))

Adjusted predictions                              Number of obs   =        200
Model VCE    : OIM

Expression   : Pr(prog==vocation), predict(outcome(3))
at           : 1.ses           =        .235 (mean)
               2.ses           =        .475 (mean)
               3.ses           =         .29 (mean)
               write           =      52.775 (mean)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             |            Delta-method
             |     Margin   Std. Err.      z    P>|z|     [95% Conf. Interval]
-------------+----------------------------------------------------------------
         ses |
          1  |   .2021232   .0599647     3.37   0.001     .0845945    .3196519
          2  |   .2939174   .0503617     5.84   0.000     .1952103    .3926246
          3  |   .1206047     .04643     2.60   0.009     .0296037    .2116058
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We can use the marginsplot command to plot predicted
probabilities by ses for each category of prog. Plots created
by marginsplot are based on the last margins command
run. Furthermore, we can combine the three marginsplots into one
graph to facilitate comparison using the graph combine
command. As it is generated, each marginsplot must be given a name,
which will be used by graph combine. Additionally, we would
like the y-axes to have the same range, so we use the ycommon
option with graph combine .

margins ses, atmeans predict(outcome(1))
marginsplot, name(general) 
margins ses, atmeans predict(outcome(2))
marginsplot, name(academic) 
margins ses, atmeans predict(outcome(3))
marginsplot, name(vocational) 
graph combine general academic vocational, ycommon

Another way to understand the model using the predicted probabilities is to
look at the averaged predicted probabilities for different values of the
continuous predictor variable write, averaging across levels of ses.

margins, at(write = (30(10) 70)) predict(outcome(1)) vsquish

Predictive margins                                Number of obs   =        200
Model VCE    : OIM

Expression   : Pr(prog==general), predict(outcome(1))
1._at        : write           =          30
2._at        : write           =          40
3._at        : write           =          50
4._at        : write           =          60
5._at        : write           =          70

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             |            Delta-method
             |     Margin   Std. Err.      z    P>|z|     [95% Conf. Interval]
-------------+----------------------------------------------------------------
         _at |
          1  |   .2130954   .0774327     2.75   0.006     .0613302    .3648606
          2  |   .2569932   .0529761     4.85   0.000     .1531619    .3608245
          3  |   .2543008   .0336297     7.56   0.000     .1883878    .3202138
          4  |   .2057855   .0371536     5.54   0.000     .1329658    .2786052
          5  |   .1423089   .0481683     2.95   0.003     .0479007    .2367172
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

margins, at(write = (30(10) 70)) predict(outcome(2)) vsquish

Predictive margins                                Number of obs   =        200
Model VCE    : OIM

Expression   : Pr(prog==academic), predict(outcome(2))
1._at        : write           =          30
2._at        : write           =          40
3._at        : write           =          50
4._at        : write           =          60
5._at        : write           =          70

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             |            Delta-method
             |     Margin   Std. Err.      z    P>|z|     [95% Conf. Interval]
-------------+----------------------------------------------------------------
         _at |
          1  |   .1348408   .0525979     2.56   0.010     .0317507    .2379308
          2  |   .2808143   .0553213     5.08   0.000     .1723867     .389242
          3  |   .4773283   .0397591    12.01   0.000      .399402    .5552547
          4  |   .6680752   .0434689    15.37   0.000     .5828776    .7532727
          5  |   .8075124   .0545504    14.80   0.000     .7005956    .9144291
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

margins, at(write = (30(10) 70)) predict(outcome(3)) vsquish

Predictive margins                                Number of obs   =        200
Model VCE    : OIM

Expression   : Pr(prog==vocation), predict(outcome(3))
1._at        : write           =          30
2._at        : write           =          40
3._at        : write           =          50
4._at        : write           =          60
5._at        : write           =          70

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             |            Delta-method
             |     Margin   Std. Err.      z    P>|z|     [95% Conf. Interval]
-------------+----------------------------------------------------------------
         _at |
          1  |   .6520638   .0944041     6.91   0.000     .4670353    .8370924
          2  |   .4621925   .0614388     7.52   0.000     .3417747    .5826102
          3  |   .2683708   .0342932     7.83   0.000     .2011575    .3355842
          4  |   .1261393     .03019     4.18   0.000     .0669679    .1853107
          5  |   .0501787   .0216863     2.31   0.021     .0076744     .092683
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sometimes, a couple of plots can convey a good deal amount of information.
Below, we plot the predicted probabilities against the writing score by the
level of ses for different levels of the outcome variable.

predict p1 p2 p3
sort write
twoway (line p1 write if ses ==1) (line p1 write if ses==2) (line p1 write if ses ==3), ///
	legend(order(1 "ses = 1" 2 "ses = 2" 3 "ses = 3") ring(0) position(7) row(1))
twoway (line p2 write if ses ==1) (line p2 write if ses==2) (line p2 write if ses ==3), ///
        legend(order(1 "ses = 1" 2 "ses = 2" 3 "ses = 3") ring(0) position(7) row(1))
twoway (line p3 write if ses ==1) (line p3 write if ses==2) (line p3 write if ses ==3), ///
	legend(order(1 "ses = 1" 2 "ses = 2" 3 "ses = 3") ring(0) position(7) row(1))

We may also wish to see measures of how well our model fits. This can be particularly useful when comparing
competing models. The user-written command fitstat produces a
variety of fit statistics. You can find more information on fitstat and
download the program by using command
search fitstat in Stata (see
How can I use the search command to search for programs and get additional help?
for more information about using search).

fitstat

Measures of Fit for mlogit of prog
fit
Log-Lik Intercept Only:       -204.097   Log-Lik Full Model:           -179.982
D(185):                        359.963   LR(6):                          48.230
                                         Prob > LR:                       0.000
McFadden's R2:                   0.118   McFadden's Adj R2:               0.045
ML (Cox-Snell) R2:               0.214   Cragg-Uhler(Nagelkerke) R2:      0.246
Count R2:                        0.610   Adj Count R2:                    0.179
AIC:                             1.950   AIC*n:                         389.963
BIC:                          -620.225   BIC':                          -16.440
BIC used by Stata:             402.350   AIC used by Stata:             375.963

Things to consider

See also

References