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Returns to schooling, ability and cognitive skills in Pakistan

Author

Listed:
  • Monazza Aslam
  • Faisal Bari
  • Geeta Kingdon

Abstract

This study investigates the economic outcomes of education for wage earners in Pakistan. This is done by analysing the relationship between schooling, cognitive skills and ability, on the one hand, and economic activity, occupation, sectoral choice and earnings, on the other. In Pakistan, an important question remains largely unaddressed: what does the coefficient on ‘schooling’ in conventional earning function estimates measure? Whereas human capital theory holds that the economic return to an extra year of schooling measures productivity gains acquired through additional schooling, the credentialist view argues that it represents a return to acquired qualifications and credentials, and a third view, the signalling hypothesis, suggests that it captures a return to native ability. This paper seeks to adjudicate between these theories using data from a unique purpose-designed survey of more than 1000 households in Pakistan, collected in 2007. The paper also examines the shape of the education--earnings relationship in Pakistan as a way of testing the poverty-reducing potential of education in Pakistan.

Suggested Citation

  • Monazza Aslam & Faisal Bari & Geeta Kingdon, 2012. "Returns to schooling, ability and cognitive skills in Pakistan," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(2), pages 139-173, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:edecon:v:20:y:2012:i:2:p:139-173
    DOI: 10.1080/09645292.2010.488470
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Eric A. Hanushek & Lei Zhang, 2006. "Quality-Consistent Estimates of International Returns to Skill," NBER Working Papers 12664, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Bishop, J., 1991. "Impact of Academic Competencies on Wages, Unemployment & Job Performance," Papers 91-34, Cornell - Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies.
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    Cited by:

    1. Livini Donath & Oliver Morrissey & Trudy Owens, 2021. "Does the pay period matter in estimating returns to schooling? Evidence from East Africa," Discussion Papers 2021-01, University of Nottingham, CREDIT.
    2. Sandeep Mohapatra & Bruno Wichmann & Philippe Marcoul, 2018. "Removing The “Veil Of Ignorance”: Nonlinearities In Education Effects On Gender Wage Inequalities," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 36(4), pages 644-666, October.
    3. Sajjad Haider Bhatti & Muhammad Aslam & Jean Bourdon, 2018. "Market Returns to Education in Pakistan, Corrected for Endogeneity Bias," Lahore Journal of Economics, Department of Economics, The Lahore School of Economics, vol. 23(1), pages 79-96, Jan-June.
    4. Aamir Khan & Himayatullah Khan, 2020. "Return to Schooling for Public and Private Sector Higher Education Institutions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 10(4), pages 125-131.
    5. Monazza Aslam & Shenila Rawal, 2013. "Preparing Women of Substance? Education, Training, and Labor Market Outcomes for Women in Pakistan," Lahore Journal of Economics, Department of Economics, The Lahore School of Economics, vol. 18(Special E), pages 93-128, September.
    6. Ozawa, Sachiko & Laing, Sarah K. & Higgins, Colleen R. & Yemeke, Tatenda T. & Park, Christine C. & Carlson, Rebecca & Ko, Young Eun & Guterman, L. Beryl & Omer, Saad B., 2022. "Educational and economic returns to cognitive ability in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    7. Yijun Yu & Hang Thu Nguyen-Phung & Hai Le, 2025. "Women’s Empowerment in Zimbabwe: Examining the Role of Educational Reform," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 177(2), pages 489-531, March.
    8. Undurraga, Eduardo A. & Behrman, Jere R. & Grigorenko, Elena L. & Schultz, Alan & Yiu, Julie & TAPS Bolivia Study Team, & Godoy, Ricardo A., 2013. "Math skills and market and non-market outcomes: Evidence from an Amazonian society of forager-farmers," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 138-147.
    9. Jones, Melanie & Kaya, Ezgi & Nan, Jiarui, 2025. "Overeducation, earnings and job satisfaction among graduates in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    10. Muhammad Jehangir Khan, 2025. "Return to Education in Pakistan: A Brief Overview," PIDE-Working Papers 2025:4, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics.

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