We decompose annual average years of schooling series for Portugal into different schooling levels series. By estimating a number of vector autoregressions, we provide measures of aggregate and disaggregate economic growth impacts of different education levels. Increasing education at all levels except tertiary has a positive and significant…

In a recent paper, Garcia-Mainar and Montuenga-Gomez [Garcia-Mainar, I. & Montuenga-Gomez, V. M. (2005). Education returns of wage earners and self-employed workers: Portugal vs. Spain. "Economics of Education Review, 24"(2), 161-170] apply the generalized IV model of Hausman and Taylor to estimate education returns of wage earners…

This is a response to [Jordahl, H., Poutvaara, P., & Tuomala, J. (2009). Comment on education returns of wage earners and self-employed workers. "Economics of Education Review" 28]. We acknowledge that econometrics have improved since the time our original paper was written, so that the choice of accurate instruments is now more…

In their reply to our comment, Garcia-Mainar and Montuenga-Gomez [Garcia-Mainar, I., & Montuenga-Gomez, V. M. (2009). A response to the comment on education returns of wage earners and self-employed workers. "Economics of Education Review"] did not address our fundamental criticism that they have not provided the information…

Using 1985 personnel record data from the Portuguese Ministry of Labor, a recent regression analysis found that the average rates of return for schooling in Portugal are in the 9.4 to 10.4 percent range. Large gender and regional earnings differentials exist. Study implications and limitations are discussed. (21 references) (MLH)

Uses a data set of Portuguese workers to explore whether a discrepancy exists between workers' educational attainment and job skill requirements, with the related impact on earnings functions and returns to education. Apparently, earnings are not uniquely determined on the basis of workers' educational attainment, but also on worker's placement in…

Employs Portuguese data to test competing hypotheses about effects of over- and under-education on earnings. The human capital trade-off theory seems irrelevant. The hypothesis of technology-produced pockets of over- and under-education is consistent with Portugal's efforts to promote economic growth, modernize industry, and upgrade educational…