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The Wage Expectations of European Business and Economics Students

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  • Giorgio Brunello
  • Claudio Lucifora
  • Rudolf Winter-Ebmer

Abstract

Expected earnings and expected returns to education are seen by labor economists as a major determinant of educational attainment. In spite of this, the empirical knowledge about expectations and their formation is scarce. In this paper we report the results of the first systematic study of the wage expectations of European university students. Our data are based on a uniform questionnaire answered by about 3,000 business and economics university students across Europe. We study the determinants of wage expectations and expected employment probabilities, the variability of these expectations and their variation across countries and universities. We also examine the tradeoff between expected starting wages and expected wage growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Giorgio Brunello & Claudio Lucifora & Rudolf Winter-Ebmer, 2004. "The Wage Expectations of European Business and Economics Students," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 39(4).
    • Handle: RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:39:y:2004:i:4:p1116-1142
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    References listed on IDEAS

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