Work

Field of Study in College and Lifetime Earnings in the United States

Year: 2015

Type: article

Abstract: to their longitudinal earnings records based on administrative tax information, we investigate the trajectories of annual earnings following the same individuals over 20 years and then estimate the long-term effects of field of study on earnings for U.S. men and women. Our results provide new evidence revealing large lifetime earnings gaps across field of study. We show important differences in individuals' earnings trajectories across the different stages of the work-life by field of study. In addition, the gaps in 40-year (i.e., ages 20 to 59) median lifetime earnings among college graduates by field of study are larger, in many instances, than the median gap between high school graduates and college graduates overall. Significant variation is also found among graduate degree holders. Our results uncover important similarities and differences between men and women with regard to the long-term earnings differentials associated with field of study. In general, these findings underscore field of study as a critical dimension of horizontal stratification in educational attainment. Other implications of the empirical findings are also discussed.

Source: Sociology of Education

DOI: 10.1177/0038040715602132

Authors: ChangHwan Kim, Christopher R. Tamborini, Arthur Sakamoto

Institutions: University of Kansas, United States Social Security Administration, Texas A&M University

Language: English

Topic: Labor market dynamics and wage inequality

Subfield: Economics and Econometrics

Field: Economics, Econometrics and Finance

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Quality education

Open Access status: green

Funder: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development