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Trends and Inequality in Lifetime Earnings in France

Author

Listed:
  • Bertrand Garbinti
  • Cecilia Garcia Pe alosa
  • Vladimir Pecheu
  • Frédérique Savignac

Abstract

This paper is the first to compute lifetime earnings (LTE) in France for a large number of cohorts that entered the labour market between 1967 and 1987. We compare our results with evidence by Guvenen et al. (2022) for the US, documenting sharp differences between the two countries. Median LTE show similar flat trends in both countries, but in France this results from a moderate increase for both genders together with increased female participation, while in the US, LTE declines for men and sharply grows for women. There have been marked changes in age profiles, as for both genders younger cohorts have experienced a decrease in entry wages that has been more than offset by faster wage growth. Our analysis of inequality finds that it is lower when we focus on LTE than in the cross-section, and that it follows a U-shaped pattern, although the increase is much smaller in France than that observed in the US. Lastly, we also find that i) education (returns and changes in attainment) plays a key role in shaping LTE across cohorts, and ii) differences in working time explain an increasing part of the gender gap in LTE over time as both men and women have increased the number of years they work but women have done so largely through part-time employment.

Suggested Citation

  • Bertrand Garbinti & Cecilia Garcia Pe alosa & Vladimir Pecheu & Frédérique Savignac, 2023. "Trends and Inequality in Lifetime Earnings in France," Working papers 925, Banque de France.
    • Handle: RePEc:bfr:banfra:925
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    Cited by:

    1. Cécile Bonneau & Sébastien Grobon, 2025. "Parental Income and Higher Education: Evidence From France," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-04976868, HAL.
    2. Cécile Bonneau & Sébastien Grobon, 2025. "Parental Income and Higher Education: Evidence From France," Post-Print halshs-04976868, HAL.
    3. Cécile Bonneau & Sébastien Grobon, 2025. "Parental Income and Higher Education: Evidence From France," Documents de travail du Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne 25004, Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1), Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion

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