This study investigates the incidence of over-education amongst recent Australian bachelor degree graduates and its effect on their earnings. We find that between 24% and 37% of graduates were over-educated shortly after course completion, with over-education most common amongst young females and least common amongst older females. Over-education…

Panel data on MBA graduates is used in an attempt to empirically distinguish between human capital and signaling models of education. The existence of employment observations prior to MBA enrollment allows for the control of unobserved ability or selection into MBA programs (through the use of individual fixed effects). In addition, variation in…

By considering heterogeneity in abilities and self-selection in educational choice, this paper adopts the heterogeneous human capital model to estimate rate of return to university education using data from the 1990 and 2000 Taiwan's Manpower Utilization Surveys. The Taiwan empirical study shows that significant heterogeneous return to education…

Occupational difference by gender is a key feature of the labor market. While this is less true of college graduates than other groups, even among them men and women are concentrated in different occupations. While differences in occupations for college graduates are often attributed to college major, few tests of this hypothesis have been…

Use of longitudinal data to control for changing composition of educational groups improves measurement of changes in rates of return to postsecondary education. When individual worker differences are controlled for, return rates show no change from 1967-75, despite observed changes in wage ratios between college and high school graduates. (PGD)

Considers overeducation in the context of the UK labor market, using a one in six sample of 1980 UK college graduates surveyed in 1986. Fully 38 percent of graduates were overeducated for their first job; 6 years later, 30 percent were overeducated and earned less than peers in graduate-level jobs. (Contains 26 references.) (MLH)

Examines gender differences in college attendance decisions, employing National Longitudinal Survey of Youth data. Uses a human-capital model stressing family characteristics and expected future earnings differential between college and high school graduates. The higher the college wage premium, the more likely men are to attend college. Women's…

Examines earnings differentials across individual and institutional characteristics for college graduates, using national longitudinal data. Graduates from highly selective colleges and universities (and research universities) earn significantly more than graduates from less selective colleges or public institutions. Gender and racial returns vary…