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The Return to Schooling in Structural Dynamic Models: A Survey

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Author Info
Christian Belzil () (GATE - Groupe d'analyse et de théorie économique - CNRS : UMR5824 - Université Lumière - Lyon II - Ecole Normale Supérieure Lettres et Sciences Humaines)

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Abstract

This papers contains a survey of the recent literature devoted to the returns to schooling within a dynamic structural framework. I present a historical perspective on the evolution of the literature, from early static models set in a selectivity framework (Willis and Rosen, 1979) to the recent literature, stimulated by Keane and Wolpin (1997), and which uses stochastic dynamic programming techniques. After reviewing the literature thoroughly, I compare the structural approach with the IV (experimental) approach. I present their commonalities and I also discuss their fundamental differences. To get an order of magnitude, most structural estimates reported for the US range between 4% and 7% per year. On the other hand, IV estimates between 10% and 15% per year are often reported. The discrepancy prevails even when comparable (if not identical) data sets are used. The discussion is focussed on understanding this divergence. The distinction between static and dynamic model specifications is a recurrent theme in the analysis. I argue that the distinction between the IV approach and the structural approach may be coined in terms of a trade off between behavioral and statistical assumptions. For this reason, and unless one has very specific knowledge of the true data generating process, it is neither possible, nor sensible, to claim which approach to estimation is more flexible. More precisely, I show that structural and IV approaches differ mainly at the level of i) the compatibility of the underlying models with truly dynamic behavior, ii) the role of heterogeneity in ability and tastes, iii) the consideration of post-schooling opportunities, and (iv) the specification (and interpretation) of the Mincer wage equation.

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Paper provided by HAL in its series Post-Print with number halshs-00201230_v1.

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Date of creation: 2007
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Publication status: Published, European Economic Review, 2007, 51, 5, pp. 1059-1105
Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-00201230_v1

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Related research
Keywords: Returns to Schooling ; Human Capital ; Ability Bias ; Dynamic Programming ; Dynamic Self-Selection ; Natural experiments ; IV estimation;

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
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  11. Eckstein, Zvi & Mortensen, Dale T., 2006. "Labor search," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 50(4), pages 807-810, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  12. Belzil, Christian & Hansen, Jörgen, 2003. "Structural Estimates of the Intergenerational Education Correlation," IZA Discussion Papers 973, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
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  14. Christian Belzil, 2006. "Testing the Specification of the Mincer Wage Equation," Working Papers 0608, Groupe d'Analyse et de Théorie Economique (GATE), Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), Université Lyon 2, Ecole Normale Supérieure. [Downloadable!]
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Cited by:
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  1. Christian Belzil & Marco Leonardi, 2007. "Risk Aversion and Schooling Decisions," Post-Print halshs-00174507_v1, HAL. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Belzil, Christian & Hansen, Jörgen, 2008. "Calibration and IV Estimation of a Wage Outcome Equation in a Dynamic Environment," IZA Discussion Papers 3528, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
  3. Christian Belzil & Marco Leonardi, 2006. "Can Risk Aversion Explain Schooling Attainments? Evidence from Italy," IZA Discussion Papers 2123, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
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  4. Christian Belzil, 2007. "Subjective Beliefs and Schooling Decisions," IZA Discussion Papers 2820, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
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  5. Martin Kahanec, 2007. "Ethnic Specialization and Earnings Inequality: Why Being a Minority Hurts but Being a Big Minority Hurts More," IZA Discussion Papers 2650, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
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  6. Ken Yamada, 2008. "Heterogeneity in Returns to Work Experience: A Dynamic Model of Female Labor Force Participation," Working Papers 10-2009, Singapore Management University, School of Economics, revised Aug 2009. [Downloadable!]
  7. John K. Dagsvik, Torbjørn Hægeland and Arvid Raknerud, 2008. "Estimating the Returns to Schooling: A Likelihood Approach Based on Normal Mixtures," Discussion Papers 567, Research Department of Statistics Norway. [Downloadable!]
  8. Shintaro Yamaguchi, 2009. "Career Progression and Comparative Advantage," Global COE Hi-Stat Discussion Paper Series gd08-025, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University. [Downloadable!]
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