Hispanics in the U.S. labor force are the subject of the studies in this volume. After an introduction by George J. Borjas and Marta Tienda, the first three papers focus on the same issue: the determination of wage rates for Hispanics and comparison of Hispanic and non-Hispanic wage rates. Cordelia Reimers compares the situation for Black, White,…

The conclusion of a 1999 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report that wage gains for training are higher for workers with lower levels of education was revisited using data for males from the 1997 Australian Survey of Education and Training (SET). The study used methods similar to the OECD report (ordinary least squares…

There is an extensive theoretical literature that postulates a trade off between child quantity and quality within a family. However, there is little causal evidence that speaks to this theory. Using a rich dataset on the entire population of Norway over an extended period of time, we examine the effects of family size and birth order on the…

Recent changes in the structure of wages and in employer-provided benefits made available to young workers were examined. Changes in the wage structure and in benefits were compared by educational level. Data from the Youth, Young Men, and Young Women's cohorts of the National Longitudinal Surveys provided information on a sample of young men and…

Two social changes are cited as particularly important to the projection of college enrollment trends. One is the rising educational attainment of the parents of future potential college attenders; the other is the fact that declines in fertility accompany declines in average family size. Overall, the illustration in this paper suggests that the…

This report describes the Hispanic population in the United States in 2002 using data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau in the Annual Demographic Supplement to the March 2002 Current Population Survey. Results indicate that more than one in eight people in the United States are of Hispanic origin. Hispanics are more geographically concentrated…

Although earnings generally increased in rural areas in the 1990s, Hispanic population growth led to lower wages for at least one segment of the rural population--workers with a high school degree (skilled workers), particularly men in this skill group. Using data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Current Population Survey, this report…

Findings based on High School and Beyond survey data suggest that taking more high-school math courses and being held to higher math standards are associated with higher future earnings. Results for science courses are less clear. Students must be challenged, and math teachers must receive additional training. (Contains 41 references.) (MLH)

Academic achievement--the credentials of schooling completed and degrees attained, as well as the skills and capabilities associated with these credentials--is an important determinant of socioeconomic success. Few if any personal characteristics are more strongly and positively related to an individual's later occupational attainment, employment,…

In this study of child care center wages, benefits, and working conditions, questionnaires were completed by directors and senior staff at 129 centers in Montgomery County, Maryland. Survey findings on staff education and experience indicated that 34 percent of staff had a bachelor's degree or higher. A typical staff member had 5.5 years of…

The relationship between starting wage rates and level of education attained by young adults was studied, based on findings of the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972. According to 1972-1979 data, the greater the educational attainment of the young adults, the higher their starting wage rates. Although the wage rates of…

This paper reports estimates of the distribution of individual private rates of return to undergraduate and community college education by field of study for Canada. It is important to know the dispersion of the private rate of return to post-secondary education, as well as its average level. There are very different implications for…

Data from the 1980 Sophomore Cohort of the High School and Beyond (HS&B) study were used to examine the stability of the first employment experiences of high school diploma, associate's degree, and Bachelor's degree recipients. Approximately 51% of the original HS&B sophomore cohort were included in the study. Data used in the study were…

This collection of papers looks at the employment status of the U.S. Hispanic population, a significant and growing segment of the nation's labor force. It analyzes characteristics of Latino workers, including educational attainment by Hispanic subgroups, work experience and skills, and computer literacy. The eight papers are: (1) "What…

Does varsity sports participation impart valuable skills? Using height as a participation instrument, a study of High School and Beyond data shows that sports participation negatively affects white male students' educational attainment, positively affects black male students' educational attainment and earnings, and positively affects white female…