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Does Reducing College Costs Improve Educational Outcomes for Undocumented Immigrants? Evidence from State Laws Permitting Undocumented Immigrants to Pay In-state Tuition at State Colleges and Universities

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  • Aimee Chin
  • Chinhui Juhn

Abstract

Ten states, beginning with Texas and California in 2001, have passed laws permitting undocumented students to pay the in-state tuition rate - rather than the more expensive out-of-state tuition rate - at public universities and colleges. We exploit state-time variation in the passage of the laws to evaluate the effects of these laws on the educational outcomes of Hispanic childhood immigrants who are not U.S. citizens. Specifically, through the use of individual-level data from the 2001-2005 American Community Surveys supplemented by the 2000 U.S. Census, we estimate the effect of the laws on the probability of attending college for 18- to 24-year-olds who have a high school degree and the probability of dropping out of high school for 16- to 17-year-olds. We find some evidence suggestive of a positive effect of the laws on the college attendance of older Mexican men, although estimated effects of the laws in general are not significantly different from zero.

Suggested Citation

  • Aimee Chin & Chinhui Juhn, 2010. "Does Reducing College Costs Improve Educational Outcomes for Undocumented Immigrants? Evidence from State Laws Permitting Undocumented Immigrants to Pay In-state Tuition at State Colleges and Universi," NBER Working Papers 15932, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
  • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:15932
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. James P. Smith, 2006. "Immigrants and the Labor Market," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 24(2), pages 203-234, April.
    2. Susan Dynarski, 2008. "Building the Stock of College-Educated Labor," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 43(3), pages 576-610.
    3. Susan M. Dynarski, 2003. "Does Aid Matter? Measuring the Effect of Student Aid on College Attendance and Completion," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 93(1), pages 279-288, March.
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    5. Sherrie A. Kossoudji & Deborah A. Cobb-Clark, 2002. "Coming out of the Shadows: Learning about Legal Status and Wages from the Legalized Population," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 20(3), pages 598-628, July.
    6. Kane, Thomas J, 1994. "College Entry by Blacks since 1970: The Role of College Costs, Family Background, and the Returns to Education," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 102(5), pages 878-911, October.
    7. Neil S. Seftor & NSarah E. Turner, 2002. "Back to School: Federal Student Aid Policy and Adult College Enrollment," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 37(2), pages 336-352.
    8. Dynarski, Susan, 2000. "Hope for Whom? Financial Aid for the Middle Class and Its Impact on College Attendance," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 53(3), pages 629-662, September.
    9. Caroline Minter Hoxby, 2004. "Introduction to "College Choices: The Economics of Where to Go, When to Go, and How to Pay For It"," NBER Chapters, in: College Choices: The Economics of Where to Go, When to Go, and How to Pay For It, pages 1-12, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Thomas J. Kane, 1995. "Rising Public College Tuition and College Entry: How Well Do Public Subsidies Promote Access to College?," NBER Working Papers 5164, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Neeraj Kaushal, 2008. "In-state tuition for the undocumented: Education effects on Mexican young adults," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(4), pages 771-792.
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    Cited by:

    1. Fricke, Hans, 2014. "Tuition Fees and Student Achievement - Evidence from a Differential Raise in Fees," VfS Annual Conference 2014 (Hamburg): Evidence-based Economic Policy 100521, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    2. Dickson, Lisa & Pender, Matea, 2013. "Do in-state tuition benefits affect the enrollment of non-citizens? Evidence from universities in Texas," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 126-137.
    3. Richard J. Cebula & Mpaza Kapembwa & Usha Nair‐Reichert, 2021. "Location choices of undocumented migrants: Does access to higher public education matter?," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(1), pages 167-194, March.
    4. Amuedo-Dorantes, Catalina & Sparber, Chad, 2014. "In-state tuition for undocumented immigrants and its impact on college enrollment, tuition costs, student financial aid, and indebtedness," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 11-24.
    5. Usha Nair-Reichert & Richard Cebula, 2015. "Access to Higher Public Education and Location Choices of Undocumented Migrants: An Exploratory Analysis," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 21(2), pages 189-199, May.
    6. Kalena E. Cortes, 2013. "Achieving the DREAM: The Effect of IRCA on Immigrant Youth Postsecondary Educational Access," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(3), pages 428-432, May.
    7. Richard Cebula & Usha Nair-Reichert, 2015. "Erratum to: Access to Higher Public Education and Location Choices of Undocumented Migrants: An Exploratory Analysis," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 21(3), pages 335-345, August.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I22 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Educational Finance; Financial Aid
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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