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Returns to Education across Europe

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  • Steiner, Viktor
  • Glocker, Daniela

Abstract

Incentives to invest in higher education are affected by both the direct wage effect of human capital investments and the indirect wage effect resulting from lower unemployment risks and shorter spells in unemployment associated with higher educated. We analyse the returns to education in Austria, Germany, Italy, Sweden and the United Kingdom, countries which differ significantly regarding both their education systems and labour market structure. We estimate augmented Mincerian wage equations accounting for the effects of unemployment on individual wages using EU-SILC data. Across countries we find a high variation of the effect of education on unemployment duration. Overall, the returns to education are estimated to be the highest in the UK, and the lowest for Sweden. A wage decrease due to time spent in unemployment results in a decline in the hourly wages in Austria, Germany and Italy.

Suggested Citation

  • Steiner, Viktor & Glocker, Daniela, 2011. "Returns to Education across Europe," CEPR Discussion Papers 8568, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:8568
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. António Morgado & Tiago Neves Sequeira & Marcelo Santos & Alexandra Ferreira-Lopes & Ana Balcão Reis, 2016. "Measuring Labour Mismatch in Europe," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 129(1), pages 161-179, October.
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    6. Tanja Fendel, 2014. "Work-related Migration and Unemployment [Beschäftigungsmotivierte Umzüge und Arbeitslosigkeit]," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 47(3), pages 233-243, September.

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    JEL classification:

    • H42 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Publicly Provided Private Goods
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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