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How Robust is the Evidence on the Returns to College Choice? Results Using Swedish Administrative Data

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Author Info
Eliasson, Kent () (National Institute for Working Life)
Abstract

We estimate the causal effect on earnings of graduating from old universities rather than new universities/university colleges. The study is based on Swedish administrative data that is comparatively rich in terms of school grades, parental characteristics and other attributes. Despite the more favorable conditions at old universities in terms of factors related to college quality, we find no significant difference in estimated earnings between graduates from the two groups of colleges. This finding holds for male and female sub-samples covering all majors, as well as male and female sub-samples covering two broad fields of education. The results are robust with regard to different methods of propensity score matching and regression adjustment. The results furthermore indicate little sensitivity with regard to the empirical support in the data and alternative model specifications.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Umeå University, Department of Economics in its series Umeå Economic Studies with number 692.

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Length: 30 pages
Date of creation: 11 Sep 2006
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:hhs:umnees:0692

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Postal: Department of Economics, Umeå University, S-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
Phone: 090 - 786 61 42
Fax: 090 - 77 23 02
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Web page: http://www.econ.umu.se/
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Related research
Keywords: College choice earnings propensity score matching

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
A22 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economics Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Undergraduate
C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods
I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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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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    Other versions:
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