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Overeducation among Swiss university graduates: determinants and consequences

Author

Listed:
  • Diem, Andrea

    (Swiss Coordination Centre for Research in Education)

  • Wolter, Stefan C.

    (Department of Economics, University of Berne ; Swiss Coordination Centre for Research in Education)

Abstract

"This study uses the Swiss Graduate Survey data to investigate the determinants of job-education mismatch and the associated consequences on earnings while controlling for various ability and motivation factors, as well as socio-demographic, labor market and institutional characteristics. The results indicate that the likelihood of a job-education mismatch is significantly influenced by individual performance factors, such as final grades and study duration, and that the phenomenon affects approximately 15 % of university graduates. The study also shows that more than one-quarter of the individuals with a job-education mismatch 1 year after graduation are still working in a job that does not require a university degree 4 years later. In monetary terms, job-education mismatch is associated with a yearly wage penalty of approximately 4 - 10 % in the short to medium term." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Suggested Citation

  • Diem, Andrea & Wolter, Stefan C., 2014. "Overeducation among Swiss university graduates: determinants and consequences," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 47(4), pages 313-328.
    • Handle: RePEc:iab:iabjlr:v:47:i:4:p:313-328
    DOI: 10.1007/s12651-014-0164-3
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Shvartsman, Elena, 2018. "The State of the Economy at Graduation, Wages, and Catch-up Paths: Evidence from Switzerland," IZA Discussion Papers 11622, IZA Network @ LISER.
    2. Daniel Erdsiek, 2016. "Overqualification of graduates: assessing the role of family background [Überqualifikation von Hochschulabsolventen: Welche Rolle spielt der familiäre Hintergrund?]," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 49(3), pages 253-268, November.
    3. Fakih, Ali & Lizzaik, Zeina, 2024. "The Incidence and Wage Penalty of Overqualification: The Case of Egypt," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1484, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    4. Sucharita Ghosh & Emanuele Grassi, 2020. "Overeducation and overskilling in the early careers of PhD graduates: Does international migration reduce labour market mismatch?," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 99(4), pages 915-944, August.
    5. Juerg Schweri & Annina Eymann & Manuel Aepli, 2020. "Horizontal mismatch and vocational education," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(32), pages 3464-3478, June.
    6. Theresa Geißler, 2025. "Who bears the brunt: Tuition fees and educational mismatch," IAAEU Discussion Papers 202504, Institute of Labour Law and Industrial Relations in the European Union (IAAEU).
    7. Silvana Robone, 2025. "Gender-Specific Analysis of Self-Reported Health and Educational Mismatch: Evidence from Employees in Russia," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 177(2), pages 763-786, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • 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

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