Based on the data of the Chinese General Social Survey 2015 (CGSS2015), this article conducts an empirical analysis on the relationship between education and health status of Chinese residents by using the structural equation model (SEM), the propensity score matching (PSM) method, and generalized ordered logit (Gologit) model. Our study found that education promotes both the subjective and objective health of residents, and the finding holds true after considering the selection bias. In addition to having a direct role, education could promote health through improved mental health, economic status, and healthy behaviors. The finding is consistent with the explanations in existing research of "efficiency-improving effect", "mental health effect", and "budget relaxation effect". Further research on the mechanism of education affecting health through structural equation modeling finds that mental health plays a more important role than healthy behaviors and economic status. In terms of the differences of various groups, education has stronger effect on vulnerable groups with fewer social resources, which shows that education helps reduce health inequality. The conclusion has important policy significance.
Keywords: educational attainment; health returns; structural equation model.