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Earnings within Education Groups and Overall Productivity Growth

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  • John Laitner

Abstract

To offer a possible interpretation for recent empirical findings on earnings growth, this paper constructs a simple model with endogenous human capital investment, a distribution of natural abilities, and unbiased technological progress. The model predicts that in the long run, average earnings within any education group will grow more slowly than average wages overall. It also predicts that average earnings in high-education groups ultimately will rise relative to average earnings in low-education groups. In the model, these processes do not imply secular increases in the degree of inequality in the overall cross-sectional distribution of earnings.

Suggested Citation

  • John Laitner, 2000. "Earnings within Education Groups and Overall Productivity Growth," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 108(4), pages 807-832, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jpolec:v:108:y:2000:i:4:p:807-832
    DOI: 10.1086/316101
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Wei-Bin Zhang, 2013. "A Synthesis Of The Uzawa-Lucas Model With The Walrasian-General-Equilibrium And Neoclassical-Growth Theories," Economic Annals, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Belgrade, vol. 58(199), pages 7-38, October -.
    3. Hendricks, Lutz & Schoellman, Todd, 2014. "Student abilities during the expansion of US education," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 19-36.
    4. Gilpin, Gregory & Kaganovich, Michael, 2012. "The quantity and quality of teachers: Dynamics of the trade-off," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(3), pages 417-429.
    5. Kitaura, Koji, 2012. "Education, borrowing constraints and growth," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 116(3), pages 575-578.
    6. Michael Kaganovich & Xuejuan Su, 2019. "College curriculum, diverging selectivity, and enrollment expansion," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 67(4), pages 1019-1050, June.
    7. John Laitner & Dmitriy Stolyarov, 2005. "Technological Progress and Worker Productivity at Different Ages," Working Papers wp107, University of Michigan, Michigan Retirement Research Center.
    8. Keller, Elisa, 2014. "The slowdown in American educational attainment," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 252-270.
    9. Holtz-Eakin, Douglas & Lovely, Mary E. & Tosun, Mehmet S., 2004. "Generational conflict, fiscal policy, and economic growth," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 1-23, March.
    10. Wei-Bin Zhang, 2013. "Income and Wealth Distribution with Physical and Human Capital Accumulation: Extending the Uzawa-Lucas Model to a Heterogeneous Households Economy," Latin American Journal of Economics-formerly Cuadernos de Economía, Instituto de Economía. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile., vol. 50(2), pages 257-287, November.
    11. Tosun, Mehmet Serkan, 2008. "Endogenous fiscal policy and capital market transmissions in the presence of demographic shocks," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 2031-2060, June.
    12. Hatsor, Limor, 2012. "Occupational choice: Teacher quality versus teacher quantity," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(4), pages 608-623.
    13. Bas Straathof, 2005. "Schooling inequality and the rise of research," DEGIT Conference Papers c010_012, DEGIT, Dynamics, Economic Growth, and International Trade.
    14. Bas Straathof, 2006. "Schooling inequality and the rise of research," CPB Discussion Paper 74.rdf, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    15. Wei Bin ZHANG, 2016. "Oscillations In The Walrasian General Equilibrium Theory With Endogenous Wealth And Human Capital Accumulation," EcoForum, "Stefan cel Mare" University of Suceava, Romania, Faculty of Economics and Public Administration - Economy, Business Administration and Tourism Department., vol. 5(1), pages 1-41, January.

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