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Education Expansion, College Choice and Labour Market Success

Author

Listed:
  • Michelle Pellizzari
  • Constanza Naguib
  • Simone Moriconi
  • Paolo Ghinetti
  • Federica Braccioli

Abstract

We study the choice of acquiring STEM college education using variation induced by the proximity to universities offering different types of programs. We adopt the methodology by Heckman and Pinto (2018) allowing the identification of the distribution of response types and treatment effects with multiple unordered choices. We combine survey data for Italy with historical information about the founding dates of all universities and faculties. We find that most compliers are women at the margin of choosing STEM education versus not going to college. Expanding the supply of STEM education could reduce the gender gap in STEM by 20%.

Suggested Citation

  • Michelle Pellizzari & Constanza Naguib & Simone Moriconi & Paolo Ghinetti & Federica Braccioli, 2024. "Education Expansion, College Choice and Labour Market Success," Working Papers 1419, Barcelona School of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:bge:wpaper:1419
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ismaël Mourifié & Marc Henry & Romuald Méango, 2020. "Sharp Bounds and Testability of a Roy Model of STEM Major Choices," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 128(8), pages 3220-3283.
    2. Carolyn M. Sloane & Erik G. Hurst & Dan A. Black, 2021. "College Majors, Occupations, and the Gender Wage Gap," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 35(4), pages 223-248, Fall.
    3. Joshua D. Angrist & Jörn-Steffen Pischke, 2009. "Mostly Harmless Econometrics: An Empiricist's Companion," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 8769, December.
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    6. Philipp Eisenhauer & James J. Heckman & Edward Vytlacil, 2015. "The Generalized Roy Model and the Cost-Benefit Analysis of Social Programs," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 123(2), pages 413-443.
    7. Justine S. Hastings & Christopher A. Neilson & Seth D. Zimmerman, 2013. "Are Some Degrees Worth More than Others? Evidence from college admission cutoffs in Chile," NBER Working Papers 19241, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    10. James J. Heckman & Rodrigo Pinto, 2018. "Unordered Monotonicity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 86(1), pages 1-35, January.
    11. Martin Nybom, 2017. "The Distribution of Lifetime Earnings Returns to College," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 35(4), pages 903-952.
    12. Pedro Carneiro & James J. Heckman & Edward J. Vytlacil, 2011. "Estimating Marginal Returns to Education," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 101(6), pages 2754-2781, October.
    13. Elena Cottini & Paolo Ghinetti & Simone Moriconi, 2019. "Higher Education Supply, Neighbourhood effects and Economic Welfare," DISCE - Working Papers del Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza def078, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • I26 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Returns to Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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