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Quantifying the Contribution of Search to Wage Inequality

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  • Volker Tjaden
  • Felix Wellschmied

Abstract

We empirically establish that one-third of job transitions leads to wage losses. Using a quantitative on-the-job search model, we find that 60 percent of them are movements down the job ladder. Accounting for them, our baseline calibration matches the large residual wage inequality in US data while attributing only 13.7 percent of overall wage inequality to the presence of search frictions in the labor market. We can trace the difference between ours and previous much higher estimates to our explicit modeling of nonvalue improving job-to-job transitions.

Suggested Citation

  • Volker Tjaden & Felix Wellschmied, 2014. "Quantifying the Contribution of Search to Wage Inequality," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 6(1), pages 134-161, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejmac:v:6:y:2014:i:1:p:134-61
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/mac.6.1.134
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • 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
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search

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