High School Majors and Future Earnings

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Dahl, Gordon B.; Rooth, Dan-Olof; Stenberg, Anders
• 署名单位: University of California System; University of California San Diego; Norwegian School of Economics (NHH); National Bureau of Economic Research; Leibniz Association; Ifo Institut; Center for Economic & Policy Research (CEPR); IZA Institute Labor Economics; Stockholm University; Linnaeus University
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL-APPLIED ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1945-7782
• DOI: 10.1257/app.20210292
• 发表日期: 2023
• 页码: 351-382
• 关键词: education; college; Heterogeneity; ability; manipulation; curriculum; tracking; returns; math

摘要

We study how high school majors affect adult earnings using a regression discontinuity design. In Sweden students are admitted to majors in tenth grade based on their preference rankings and ninth grade GPA. We find engineering, natural science, and business majors yield higher earnings than social science and humanities, with major-specific returns also varying based on next-best alter-natives. There is either a zero or a negative return to completing an academic program for students with a second-best nonacademic major. Most of the differences in adult earnings can be attributed to differences in occupation, and to a lesser extent, college major. I21, I26, J24,