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How Does Marriage Affect the Wages of Men in Australia?

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  • ELISA ROSE BIRCH
  • PAUL W. MILLER

Abstract

This paper investigates how marriage affects the wages of men in Australia. It finds that there are wage advantages associated with marriage, although men benefit most, in terms of wages, from being married to a more highly educated woman. This advantage is greater where the wife does not work. These findings are more aligned with human capital theory than with assortative mating theory. The focus on the family reflects many of Bob Gregory's contributions, including his study in the Journal of Labor Economics in 2005 (Meng & Gregory 2005).

Suggested Citation

  • Elisa Rose Birch & Paul W. Miller, 2006. "How Does Marriage Affect the Wages of Men in Australia?," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 82(257), pages 150-164, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecorec:v:82:y:2006:i:257:p:150-164
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-4932.2006.00312.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Derek T. Tharp & Elizabeth J. Parks-Stamm & Meghaan Lurtz & Michael Kitces, 2022. "Exploring Gender Differences in Marital and Parental Income Premiums Among Financial Advisors," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 43(1), pages 15-35, March.
    3. Ann Evans, 2021. "Reflecting on 21 Years of the HILDA Survey," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 54(4), pages 462-468, December.
    4. Wenshu Gao & Russell Smyth, 2012. "Returns to Schooling in Urban China, 2001-2010: Evidence from Three Waves of the China Urban Labor Survey," Monash Economics Working Papers 50-12, Monash University, Department of Economics.

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