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Returns to Tertiary Education in Germany and the UK: Effects of Fields of Study and Gender

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  • Anna Kim;Ki-Wan Kim

Abstract

During the last decades most industrialised countries have experienced a rapid expansion of tertiary education enrolments. The sector of tertiary education became more differentiated through the creation of many different subjects, fields and curricula of study. At the same time, men and women tend to prefer different fields of study which likely also provide different opportunities on the labour market. In this study we examine the returns of tertiary education regarding the fields of study and gender differences in Germany and the United Kingdom. As an indicator for educational returns we take the opportunity of entering into the service classes. Given the review of different institutional arrangements we expect that the two countries have considerable differences in the linkage between tertiary education and labour market. Additionally, we expect that the different outcomes of educational credentials between female and male graduates are related to the different choices of study fields in the tertiary education. Based on the generally close linkage between the level of education and labour market in Germany and the rather weak signal function of educational credentials in the UK, we expect that firstly the overall educational returns to tertiary education would be greater in Germany, but that secondly the effects of fields of study as an additional selection factor for graduates would be greater in the UK. Results of empirical analyses confirm both of these hypotheses. An interesting result with respect to the gender differences in educational outcomes is that Germany shows a smaller gender difference in outcomes, but this rather egalitarian result disappears if the type of jobs, e.g. part-time vs. full-time jobs, is controlled for. In general, we find smaller gender differences in class outcomes in Germany than in the UK, but that is called into question by the greater likelihood of German women to be employed in part-time jobs.

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  • Anna Kim;Ki-Wan Kim, 2003. "Returns to Tertiary Education in Germany and the UK: Effects of Fields of Study and Gender," MZES Working Papers 62, MZES.
    • Handle: RePEc:erp:mzesxx:p0052
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nicholas Oulton & Hilary Steedman, 1994. "The British System of Youth Training: A Comparison with Germany," NBER Chapters, in: Training and the Private Sector: International Comparisons, pages 61-76, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    3. Anna Kim & Karin Kurz, 2001. "Precarious Employment, Education and Gender: A comparison of Germany and the United Kingdom," MZES Working Papers 39, MZES.
    4. Lynch, Lisa M. (ed.), 1994. "Training and the Private Sector," National Bureau of Economic Research Books, University of Chicago Press, edition 1, number 9780226498102.
    5. Hildegard Brauns & Susanne Steinmann, 1997. "Educational Reform in France, West-Germany, the United Kingdom and Hungary: Updating the CASMIN Educational Classification," MZES Working Papers 21, MZES.
    6. Eyraud, Francois & Marsden, David & Silvestre, Jean-Jacques, 1990. "Occupational and internal labour markets in Britain and France," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 21305, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    7. David Marsden, 1990. "Institutions and Labour Mobility: Occupational and Internal Labour Markets in Britain, France, Italy and West Germany," International Economic Association Series, in: Renato Brunetta & Carlo Dell’Aringa (ed.), Labour Relations and Economic Performance, chapter 17, pages 414-438, Palgrave Macmillan.
    8. David Soskice, 1994. "Reconciling Markets and Institutions: The German Apprenticeship System," NBER Chapters, in: Training and the Private Sector: International Comparisons, pages 25-60, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    Cited by:

    1. Markus Klein, 2016. "The association between graduates’ field of study and occupational attainment in West Germany, 1980–2008 [Der Zusammenhang zwischen Studienfach und beruflichem Erfolg von Hochschulabsolventen in We," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 49(1), pages 43-58, July.
    2. Concetta, MENDOLICCHIO, 2005. "Gender and private returns to education : a cross-European analysis," Discussion Papers (ECON - Département des Sciences Economiques) 2005056, Université catholique de Louvain, Département des Sciences Economiques.
    3. Roxana Hatos & Tomina Saveanu, 2016. "Are Economic Studies Graduates Under-Employed? A Skills Mismatch Study," Oradea Journal of Business and Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1(1), pages 27-37, March.
    4. Leuze, Kathrin, 2010. "Smooth Path or Long and Winding Road? How Institutions Shape the Transition from Higher Education to Work," EconStor Books, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, number 251573, June.
    5. Lehouelleur, Sophie & Beblavý, Miroslav & Maselli,Ilaria, 2015. "How returns from tertiary education differ by field of study: Implications for policy-makers and students," CEPS Papers 10835, Centre for European Policy Studies.

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    Keywords

    institutions; Germany; U.K.; sociology;
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