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Family and gender still matter: the heterogeneity of returns to education in Germany

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  • Schnabel, Reinhold
  • Schnabel, Isabel

Abstract

Using information on family background, we estimate returns to education, allowing for the heterogeneity of returns. In order to control for the unobserved heterogeneity shared by family members, we construct a siblings sample and employ family fixed-effects and family correlated random-effects models. Our main result is that family background still matters despite the substantial political efforts to equalize educational opportunities in Germany. Persons with less-educated parents earn lower wages, but have higher returns to education. This supports the view that persons from less-educated backgrounds still face higher marginal costs in the educational system. The same interplay between the wage level and marginal returns is found for the effect of gender and cohort.

Suggested Citation

  • Schnabel, Reinhold & Schnabel, Isabel, 2002. "Family and gender still matter: the heterogeneity of returns to education in Germany," ZEW Discussion Papers 02-67, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:zewdip:537
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Riphahn & Caroline Schwientek, 2015. "What drives the reversal of the gender education gap? Evidence from Germany," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(53), pages 5748-5775, November.
    2. Flossmann Anton L. & Pohlmeier Winfried, 2006. "Causal Returns to Education: A Survey on Empirical Evidence for Germany," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 226(1), pages 6-23, February.
    3. Kathrin Göggel, 2007. "Sinkende Bildungsrenditen durch Bildungsreformen?: Evidenz aus Mikrozensus und SOEP," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 11, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    4. Bettina Lamla, 2012. "Family Background, Informal Networks and the Decision to Provide for Old Age: A Siblings Approach," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 466, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    5. Valentina S. Consiglio & Denisa M. Sologon, 2019. "The Myth of Equal Opportunity in Germany?," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 1060, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    6. repec:mea:meawpa:12261 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Bettina Lamla, 2013. "Family background and the decision to provide for old age: a siblings approach," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 40(3), pages 483-504, August.
    8. Göggel, Kathrin, 2007. "Sinkende Bildungsrenditen durch Bildungsreformen? Evidenz aus Mikrozensus und SOEP," ZEW Discussion Papers 07-017, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    9. Astrid Krenz, 2008. "Theorie und Empirie über den Wirkungszusammenhang zwischen sozialer Herkunft, kulturellem und sozialem Kapital, Bildung und Einkommen in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 128, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    10. repec:got:cegedp:108 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Valentina S. Consiglio & Denisa M. Sologon, 2022. "The Myth of Equal Opportunity in Germany? Wage Inequality and the Role of (Non-)academic Family Background for Differences in Capital Endowments and Returns on the Labour Market," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 159(2), pages 455-493, January.
    12. Cornelissen Thomas & Jirjahn Uwe & Tsertsvadze Georgi, 2008. "Parental Background and Earnings: German Evidence on Direct and Indirect Relationships," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 228(5-6), pages 554-572, October.
    13. Krenz, Astrid, 2010. "La distinction reloaded: Returns to education, family background, cultural and social capital in Germany," University of Göttingen Working Papers in Economics 108, University of Goettingen, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Returns to education; siblings analysis; heterogeneity of returns;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models

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