This study examines how household socioeconomic status (SES) affects enrollment in vocational versus general senior high schools in Indonesia, especially during the government’s expansion of vocational education. Using data from the Indonesia Family Life Survey and a multinomial logit model, it compares cohorts before and during the expansion to reveal SES’s impact on school choice. The study also highlights broader challenges in vocational education, including low basic skills, poor alignment with labor market needs, and negative social perceptions.