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Investment in human capital through upper-secondary and tertiary education

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  • Sveinbjörn Blöndal
  • Simon Field
  • Nathalie Girouard

Abstract

This article examines various efficiency and equity aspects related to the skill acquisition of young people and older adults. The analysis suggests that human capital investment is associated with significant labour-market gains for individuals, including higher post-tax earnings and better employment prospects, which exceed the investment costs, mainly foregone earnings and tuition fees, by a significant margin. It also shows that the net benefits are strongly influenced by policy related factors, such as study length, tuition subsidies and student support. Overall, the estimates reported in the article indicate that there are strong incentives for the average student to continue studying beyond the compulsory schooling age, and also point to the benefits of such investment in education for society as a whole. However, the net gains fall with age, mainly reflecting a shorter period to take advantage of the benefits that come with education. Finally, the article notes that students in higher education tend to come from more affluent backgrounds and that they benefit from large public subsidies, whereas young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to participate in tertiary education and thus benefit from public subsidies.

Suggested Citation

  • Sveinbjörn Blöndal & Simon Field & Nathalie Girouard, 2003. "Investment in human capital through upper-secondary and tertiary education," OECD Economic Studies, OECD Publishing, vol. 2002(1), pages 41-89.
    • Handle: RePEc:oec:ecokaa:5lmqcr2k2c7c
    DOI: 10.1787/eco_studies-v2002-art3-en
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    Cited by:

    1. Concetta Mendolicchio & Thomas Rhein, 2014. "The gender gap of returns on education across West European countries," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 35(3), pages 219-249, May.
    2. Emanuela di Gropello, 2006. "Meeting the Challenges of Secondary Education in Latin America and East Asia : Improving Efficiency and Resource Mobilization," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 7173, December.
    3. Marta-Christina Suciu & Irina-Virginia Drăgulănescu & Alexandru Ghiţiu-Brătescu & Luciana Picioruş & Cosmin Imbrişcă, 2011. "Universities` Role in Knowledge-Based Economy and Society. Implications for Romanian Economics Higher Education," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 13(30), pages 420-436, June.
    4. Thomas M. FULLERTON & Carlos R. MORALES & Adam G. WALKE, 2014. "The Effects Of Education, Infrastructure, And Demographics On Regional Income Performance In Missouri," Regional and Sectoral Economic Studies, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 14(1), pages 5-22.
    5. Fabrizio Pompei & Ekaterina Selezneva, 2015. "Education Mismatch, Human Capital and Labour Status of Young People across European Union Countries," Working Papers 347, Leibniz Institut für Ost- und Südosteuropaforschung (Institute for East and Southeast European Studies).
    6. Lorne Carmichael & Ross Finnie, 2007. "Grants Or Loans? Theoretical Issues Regarding Access And Persistence In Postsecondary Education," Working Paper 1154, Economics Department, Queen's University.
    7. Lari Arthur Viianto, 2007. "On the positive effects of taxation on education," Working Papers. Serie AD 2007-30, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Económicas, S.A. (Ivie).
    8. David Greenaway & Michelle Haynes, 2003. "Funding Higher Education in The UK: The Role of Fees and Loans," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 113(485), pages 150-166, February.
    9. Jimenez, Emmanuel & Nguyen, Vy & Patrinos, Harry Anthony, 2012. "Stuck in the middle ? human capital development and economic growth in Malaysia and Thailand," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6283, The World Bank.
    10. Gelsomina Catalano & Francesco Giffoni & Valentina Morretta, 2021. "Human and social capital accumulation within research infrastructures: The case of CERN," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 92(3), pages 473-496, September.
    11. Iacopo Odoardi, 2020. "Can parents’ education lay the foundation for reducing the inactivity of young people? A regional analysis of Italian NEETs," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 37(1), pages 307-336, April.
    12. Ray, Rita, 2015. "STEM Education and Economic Performance in the American States," MPRA Paper 65517, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Alessandro Crociata & Iacopo Odoardi & Massimiliano Agovino & Pier Luigi Sacco, 2020. "A missing link? Cultural capital as a source of human capital: evidence from Italian regional data," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 64(1), pages 79-109, February.
    14. Winter, Stefan & Pfitztner, Alexander, 2013. "Externalities and subsidization of higher education," VfS Annual Conference 2013 (Duesseldorf): Competition Policy and Regulation in a Global Economic Order 79993, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    15. Kopatz, Susanne & Pilz, Matthias, 2015. "The Academic Takes it All? A Comparison of Returns to Investment in Education between Graduates and Apprentices in Canada," International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training (IJRVET), European Research Network in Vocational Education and Training (VETNET), European Educational Research Association, vol. 2(4), pages 308-325.
    16. Maria Cristiana Martini & Luigi Fabbris, 2017. "Beyond Employment Rate: A Multidimensional Indicator of Higher Education Effectiveness," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 130(1), pages 351-370, January.
    17. Rita Asplund & Oussama Ben Adbelkarim & Ali Skalli, 2008. "An equity perspective on access to, enrolment in and finance of tertiary education," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(3), pages 261-274.
    18. Yew Seng Law & Chung-Khain Wye, 2023. "The effects of fertility on female labour force participation in OECD countries: the role of education and health," Studies in Economics and Econometrics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(3), pages 280-302, July.

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