The share of female teachers in the U.S. with an MA more than doubled between 1970 and 2000. This increase is puzzling, as it is much larger than that of other college-educated women, and it occurred over a period of declining teacher aptitude. I estimate the contribution of changes in teacher demographic characteristics, increases in the returns…

The positive impact of education on earnings, wages, and economic growth is well documented; however, the issue of education-occupation matching in developing countries has been largely ignored. Since workers' levels of schooling and their occupations' required level of education both affect wages, policymakers may find it useful to note if such…

Uses a growth model involving an aggregate production function to measure social benefits from human capital improvements due to investments in Hong Kong higher education. Returns calculated using the production-function approach are significantly higher than those derived from the wage-increment method. Returns declined during the past 10 years.…

Examines why German firms hire overeducated employees in low-skill jobs and pay them more than correctly educated ones. Finds that overeducated employees are more productive, enjoy better health, participate more in on-the-job training, and have longer firm tenure than their correctly educated colleagues. (Contains 28 references.) (PKP)

Uses Current Population Survey data to develop dynamic and expected rates of return to high school and college between 1967-95, considering effects of annual changes in institutional costs and real earnings within each age group. Dynamic college returns (for older age groups) exceeded 13 percent for both sexes. (Contains 49 references.) (MLH)

Uses Greek data for 1981 and 1985 to test screening hypothesis by replicating method proposed by Psacharopoulos. Credentialism, or sheepskin effect of education, directly challenges human capital theory, which views education as a productivity augmenting process. Results do not support the strong version of the screening hypothesis and suggest…

Applies comparative techniques originated by K. Wolpin and G. Psacharopulos to discriminate between the "weak" and "strong" screening hypotheses, employed to determine whether societal investment in upgrading or expanding education is justified. Controlling for sample selection, this study finds evidence for weak screening in…

Investigates whether structural changes in the U.S. labor market affected the rewards and penalties associated with having too much or too little schooling for a job. Applies U.S. results to Germany's more structured ambience. In all cases, productivity and wages were affected by workers' education levels. (Contains 34 references.) (MLH)

Three strategic effects on the rates of return to vocational and technical education (VOTEC) are considered: (1) the availability of complementary inputs such as general education; (2) the capacity of VOTEC to teach continuing adaptation to technical change; and (3) economies of scale that can be realized. (26 references) (MLF)

Analyzes econometrically the relationship between individual school characteristics and earnings of students entering the labor force directly from high school, using High School and Beyond data. One category of characteristics, school-to-work interventions, is a predictor. Access to labor-market information and substantial work-for-pay experience…

Advanced industrial economies face a work crisis in creating wage employment in a changing job market without greatly increased job inequality. There is a fundamental conflict between a deregulatory labor-market philosophy and policies intending to use educational expansion to increase employment with higher productivity and wages. Education and…