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College Majors and Earnings Growth

Author

Listed:
  • Woosuk Choi
  • Josh Kinsler
  • Alexis Orellana
  • Ronni Pavan

Abstract

We estimate major-specific earnings profiles using matched American Community Survey (ACS) and Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data. Building on Deming and Noray (2020), we exploit a long earnings panel to overcome key limitations of cross-sectional approaches to lifecycle estimation. We find that engineering and computer science majors experience earnings growth that is comparable to or faster than that of other majors, a category including humanities, education, psychology, and similar fields. In contrast, Deming and Noray (2020) use a crosscohort approach and find that earnings for engineering and computer science majors decline relative to other fields over the lifecycle.

Suggested Citation

  • Woosuk Choi & Josh Kinsler & Alexis Orellana & Ronni Pavan, 2026. "College Majors and Earnings Growth," Working Papers 26-14, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    • Handle: RePEc:cen:wpaper:26-14
    as

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    File URL: https://www2.census.gov/library/working-papers/2026/adrm/ces/CES-WP-26-14.pdf
    File Function: First version, 2026
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David J Deming & Kadeem Noray, 2020. "Earnings Dynamics, Changing Job Skills, and STEM Careers," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 135(4), pages 1965-2005.
    2. Joseph G. Altonji & Erica Blom & Costas Meghir, 2012. "Heterogeneity in Human Capital Investments: High School Curriculum, College Major, and Careers," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 4(1), pages 185-223, July.
    3. Joseph G. Altonji & Lisa B. Kahn & Jamin D. Speer, 2016. "Cashier or Consultant? Entry Labor Market Conditions, Field of Study, and Career Success," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 34(S1), pages 361-401.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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