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Is there a risk-return trade-off in educational choices? Evidence from Spain

Author

Listed:
  • Luis Díaz-Serrano

    (Universitat Rovira i Virgili, IZA)

  • Joop Hartog

    (FEE-SCHOLAR, Universiteit van Amsterdam)

Abstract

We use data from Spain to test for an effect of earnings variance and skewness on individual wages. We carry out separate estimations for men and women. In accordance with the scant previous evidence mainly focused on the US, we report the existence of a risk-return trade-off across educational choices in the Spanish labor market. These results are in conformity with preferences of risk-averse individuals with decreasing absolute risk aversion and hence, with preference for skewness. In contrast with the previous literature, our analysis is based just in education cells, instead of on occupation or occupation/education cells. This improvement allows us to capture in a more suitable way the essence of earnings risk.

Suggested Citation

  • Luis Díaz-Serrano & Joop Hartog, 2006. "Is there a risk-return trade-off in educational choices? Evidence from Spain," Investigaciones Economicas, Fundación SEPI, vol. 30(2), pages 353-380, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:iec:inveco:v:30:y:2006:i:2:p:353-380
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hartog, Joop & Vijverberg, Wim P., 2002. "Do Wages Really Compensate for Risk Aversion and Skewness Affection?," IZA Discussion Papers 426, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Luis Diaz‐Serrano & Joop Hartog & Helena Skyt Nielsen, 2008. "Compensating Wage Differentials for Schooling Risk in Denmark," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 110(4), pages 711-731, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Diaz-Serrano, Luis, 2006. "Housing Satisfaction, Homeownership and Housing Mobility: A Panel Data Analysis for Twelve EU Countries," IZA Discussion Papers 2318, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Asma Hyder & Jere R. Behrman, 2011. "Schooling is Associated not only with Longrun Wages, but also with Wage Risks and Disability Risks: The Pakistani Experience," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 50(4), pages 555-573.
    3. Bas Jacobs & Joop Hartog & Wim Vijverberg, 2009. "Self-selection bias in estimated wage premiums for earnings risk," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 37(2), pages 271-286, October.
    4. Hartog, Joop & Vijverberg, Wim, 2007. "Schools, skills and risk," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(6), pages 758-770, December.
    5. Beladi, Hamid & Sinha, Chaitali & Kar, Saibal, 2016. "To educate or not to educate: Impact of public policies in developing countries," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 94-101.
    6. Shelest Olena, 2015. "Risk of Investments in Human Capital and Expected Worker Mobility," International Journal of Management and Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, Collegium of World Economy, vol. 47(1), pages 82-106, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Risk-aversion; skewness affection; educational choices; compensating wage differentials;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J3 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs
    • D8 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty

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