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Natural Resource Booms, Human Capital, and Earnings: Evidence from Linked Education and Employment Records

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  • Alina Kovalenko

Abstract

Using administrative panel data on the universe of Texas public school students, I analyze how shocks to local economic conditions affect education and employment decisions. I find that high school students at the bottom of the academic ability distribution worked and earned more in response to the fracking boom and that these earnings gains persisted through ages 24–25 despite the fact that the same students also became less likely to attend classes and graduate from high school. My results suggest that the opportunity cost of education is large for these students.

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  • Alina Kovalenko, 2023. "Natural Resource Booms, Human Capital, and Earnings: Evidence from Linked Education and Employment Records," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 15(2), pages 184-217, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejapp:v:15:y:2023:i:2:p:184-217
    DOI: 10.1257/app.20200762
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lee, Jim, 2015. "The regional economic impact of oil and gas extraction in Texas," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 60-71.
    2. Joseph Marchand & Jeremy G. Weber, 2020. "How Local Economic Conditions Affect School Finances, Teacher Quality, and Student Achievement: Evidence from the Texas Shale Boom," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(1), pages 36-63, January.
    3. Briana Ballis & Katelyn Heath, 2021. "The Long-Run Impacts of Special Education," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 13(4), pages 72-111, November.
    4. Dan A. Black & Terra G. McKinnish & Seth G. Sanders, 2005. "Tight Labor Markets and the Demand for Education: Evidence from the Coal Boom and Bust," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 59(1), pages 3-16, October.
    5. Jeffrey T. Denning, 2017. "College on the Cheap: Consequences of Community College Tuition Reductions," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 9(2), pages 155-188, May.
    6. Cai, Zhengyu & Maguire, Karen & Winters, John V., 2018. "Who Benefits from Local Oil and Gas Employment? Labor Market Composition in the Oil and Gas Industry in Texas," GLO Discussion Paper Series 246, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    7. Alexander W. Bartik & Janet Currie & Michael Greenstone & Christopher R. Knittel, 2019. "The Local Economic and Welfare Consequences of Hydraulic Fracturing," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 11(4), pages 105-155, October.
    8. Cai, Zhengyu & Maguire, Karen & Winters, John V., 2019. "Who benefits from local oil and gas employment? Labor market composition in the oil and gas industry in Texas and the rest of the United States," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
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    Cited by:

    1. Bütikofer, Aline & Dalla-Zuanna, Antonio & Salvanes, Kjell Gunnar, 2023. "Natural Resources, Demand for Skills, and Schooling Choices," Discussion Paper Series in Economics 15/2023, Norwegian School of Economics, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I26 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Returns to Education
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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