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The returns to education: a reply

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  • Clark, Gregory
  • Nielsen, Christian Alexander Abildgaard

Abstract

In this response to Lee Crawfurd's comment on The Returns to Education: A Meta-Study, we address his three main criticisms. We contend that estimates based on compulsory schooling laws constitute the most reliable evidence on causal returns to education. We show that our parsimonious approach to correcting for publication bias is preferable to more complex approaches that have biases of their own. Finally, we argue that the observed skewed distribution is most plausibly explained by selective omission of negative estimates. We therefore conclude that the comment does not undermine our central finding that reported returns to education are substantially inflated because of publication bias.

Suggested Citation

  • Clark, Gregory & Nielsen, Christian Alexander Abildgaard, 2026. "The returns to education: a reply," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 140802, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:140802
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    File URL: https://researchonline.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/140802/
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    1. Clark, Gregory & Nielsen, Christian Alexander Abildgaard, 2026. "The returns to education: a reply," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 140802, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Lee Crawfurd, 2026. "The Returns to Education: A Comment," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 79(4), pages 1226-1234, November.
    3. Claudio E. Montenegro & Harry Anthony Patrinos, 2014. "Comparable Estimates of Returns to Schooling Around the World," Working Papers wp390, University of Chile, Department of Economics.
    4. Doucouliagos, Hristos & Paldam, Martin & Stanley, T.D., 2018. "Skating on thin evidence: Implications for public policy," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 16-25.
    5. Zuzana Irsova & Hristos Doucouliagos & Tomas Havranek & T. D. Stanley, 2024. "Meta‐analysis of social science research: A practitioner's guide," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(5), pages 1547-1566, December.
    6. Gregory Clark & Christian Alexander Abildgaard Nielsen, 2026. "The Returns to Education: A Meta‐Study," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 79(3), pages 608-628, August.
    7. Lee Crawfurd, 2026. "The Returns to Education: A Comment," Working Papers 756, Center for Global Development.
    8. Clark, Gregory & Nielsen, Christian Alexander Abildgaard, 2026. "The returns to education: a meta-study," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 137309, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
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    1. Clark, Gregory & Nielsen, Christian Alexander Abildgaard, 2026. "The returns to education: a reply," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 140802, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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