Sorting, training, and careers: public and private universities as complementary providers of doctoral education
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The growth of private providers has increased heterogeneity in doctoral education, raising questions about how university types contribute to advanced skill formation. Using linked administrative labour-market data on PhD graduates in economics and business studies in Germany, we analyse how pre-doctoral employment histories relate to the choice between public and private universities and how careers unfold during and after the doctorate. We find strong sorting: candidates with stable private-sector employment disproportionately enroll in private universities, while those embedded in academic workplaces select public universities. Many private-university candidates complete the doctorate alongside non-academic employment, whereas public-university candidates typically hold academic positions during training. After graduation, public-university graduates are more likely to remain in academia and sustain research activity, whereas private-university graduates more often advance into high-income and leadership positions outside academia. Public and private universities thus operate as organizational complements, serving distinct segments of a heterogeneous doctoral population.
Source: Industry and Innovation
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7225183483