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Does it Payoff to be Blond in a Non-Blond Neighborhood? Eye Color, Hair Color, Ethnic Composition and Starting Wages

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  • Elif S. Filiz

    (University of Southern Mississippi)

Abstract

In this paper, I examine the impact of eye and hair color on wages at one’s first-job after completing schooling. Evidence suggests that having blond/red hair has a positive impact on wages, particularly for white people and females. Using detailed ethnic origin information collected by the Census and using tipping point analysis, I find that individuals with blond/red hair who reside in a county where ethnicities with brown/black hair/eyes constitute the majority, earn around nine percent more compared to individuals with brown/black hair residing in the same county.

Suggested Citation

  • Elif S. Filiz, 2022. "Does it Payoff to be Blond in a Non-Blond Neighborhood? Eye Color, Hair Color, Ethnic Composition and Starting Wages," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 48(1), pages 122-146, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:easeco:v:48:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1057_s41302-021-00194-8
    DOI: 10.1057/s41302-021-00194-8
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Eye and hair color; Ethnic composition; Tipping point; Starting wages;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J10 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - General
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing

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