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The Effect of Education on Overall Fertility

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  • Philip DeCicca
  • Harry Krashinsky

Abstract

Fertility rates have long been falling in many developed countries while educational attainment in these countries has risen. We attempt to reconcile these two trends with a novel application of a recent model to generate plausibly causal effects of education on these decreases in fertility. Specifically, we find that education “compresses” the fertility distribution – women are more likely to have at least one child, but less likely to have multiple children. We demonstrate that the mechanism for this effect is through the positive impact of education on earnings and marriage.

Suggested Citation

  • Philip DeCicca & Harry Krashinsky, 2016. "The Effect of Education on Overall Fertility," NBER Working Papers 23003, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:23003
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    Cited by:

    1. Bhalotra, Sonia R. & Venkataramani, Atheendar & Walther, Selma, 2018. "Fertility and Labor Market Responses to Reductions in Mortality," IZA Discussion Papers 11716, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Bhalotra, Sonia & Venkataramani, Atheendar & Walther, Selma, 2018. "Fertility and labor market responses to reductions in mortality," ISER Working Paper Series 2018-15, Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    3. Sala Adrian Lucian, 2019. "Effects Of Education On Birth Rates In Romania," Annals - Economy Series, Constantin Brancusi University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 3, pages 174-181, June.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I1 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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