In order to examine the black college student's values toward mate selection, the potential desirable traits of a future spouse were divided into instrumental and expressive traits. Instrumental traits are those which serve the family's essential material needs, while expressive traits serve the family's emotional needs. Possible differences by sex, parental education, and parental occupation were investigated. Results showed that black female students tended to give more importance to instrumental values than male students. No differences between male and female students were found in their emphasis on expressive characteristics. Parental education and parental occupation failed to produce any significant differences on the instrumental and expressive traits desired in a potential mate. (Author/LS)