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Labor-Market Returns to Higher Vocational Schooling

Author

Listed:
  • Petri Böckerman

    (Palkansaajien tutkimuslaitos)

  • Mika Haapanen
  • Christopher Jepsen

Abstract

This paper examines the labor-market returns to a new form of postsecondary vocational education, vocational master’s degrees. We use individual fixed effects models on the matched sample of students and non-students from Finland to capture any time-invariant differences across individuals. Attendance in vocational master’s programs leads to higher earnings of eight percent five years after entry even if selection on unobservables is twice as strong as selection on observables. Earnings gains are similar by gender and age, but they are marginally higher for health than for business or technology and trades.

Suggested Citation

  • Petri Böckerman & Mika Haapanen & Christopher Jepsen, 2018. "Labor-Market Returns to Higher Vocational Schooling," Working Papers 324, Työn ja talouden tutkimus LABORE, The Labour Institute for Economic Research LABORE.
    • Handle: RePEc:pst:wpaper:324
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    vocational education; master’s degrees; labor-market;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • I26 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Returns to Education

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