This dissertation studies the effect of higher education costs on students' outcomes in the labor market, particularly when credit constraints are absent. It utilizes the UK's institutional setting to identify such an effect. The key findings are as follows. (i) Increasing tuition fees does not have adverse effects on students as long as credit…

America's colleges and universities are at a crossroads. The number of schools closing their doors continues to grow driven by the declining number of students pursuing a bachelor's. This situation is expected to worsen because of a number of factors: (1) Starting in 2025 the U.S. will face the so-called "enrollment cliff," in which the…

This exploratory study examines academic and labor market risks associated with investments in higher education by synthesizing the literature regarding risky higher education choices and extending the research using the 2014 National Student Financial Wellness Study, a national sample of college students. Three phenomena are analyzed to support…

Can information close socioeconomic gaps in parents' postsecondary aspirations for their children? We administer a survey experiment to a nationally representative sample of U.S. parents, who are also asked whether their child is academically prepared for college. We inquire whether parents prefer their child to pursue a four-year degree, two-year…

In an era of escalating higher education costs, students and families need to be aware of all of their options for financing college and how those financing options work. Financing remains one the top factors for choosing a college, especially for students with greater financial need. Those who do not receive the award packages and financial…

The COVID-19 crisis has upended life in the United States, extending well beyond health and safety concerns. Millions of Americans have faced financial instability as states have shut down their economies to curb the spread of the virus. As the COVID-19 crisis continues to unfold, drawing lessons from history on resilience and recovery can inform…

The article examines how far the key Bologna objective of student mobility has been achieved in Portuguese higher education institutions and the main factors shaping it. It analyzes credit mobility, outgoing and incoming, between Portugal and Europe. Although mobility overall has risen, incoming mobility has grown faster, making Portugal an…

Neoclassical economists make the case for profit seeking firms in the private sector because they supply goods and services efficiently, meeting consumer demand at the least possible price and the highest quality. The government also supplies some goods and services directly, and also has made provisions for non-profit firms to do so, recognizing…

Spring 2020 marked the onset of one of the most tumultuous eras in recent memory. The rapid spread of COVID-19 wreaked havoc on communities across the globe, and in the U.S., the epicenter of the outbreak was located in Washington State. Beyond the immediate concerns around personal health and safety, COVID-19 produced a host of other issues that…

In the current context, the need for marketing in institutions of higher education is undeniable. The specification of the student not merely as a 'customer' means that traditional marketing no longer has sufficient capacity to explain the behavior of the student body. In this study, a four-level relationship marketing model is tested to check the…

The decision to pursue formal education has significant labor market implications. To approach the decision rationally, a student must consider the costs and benefits of each available option. However, mounting empirical evidence suggests that reported expectations of costs and benefits are uncertain and vary across students. Hastings et al.…

While TVET literature focuses on the potential role of the sector in socio-economic development, seldom is attention given to how socio-economic conditions and policies affect the development of the sector. This paper endeavours to contribute to filling this gap. It argues that examining the factors that influence access, equity and outcomes of…

The rising cost of college and demands for accountability have increased interest in providing students with information about the earnings of college graduates by school and major. However, no consensus exists over how to display that information in a way that is most beneficial for students. Some researchers advocate displaying median earnings…

Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth, with nearly 107,000 degree-seeking students and thousands more who are enrolled in certificate and other career-development programs. With almost 90 percent of students coming from Pennsylvania and the vast majority of graduates…

The Great Recession officially ended in June 2009. However, the labor market has made agonizingly slow progress toward a full recovery, and the slack that remains continues to be devastating for workers of all ages. The weak labor market has been, and continues to be, very tough on young workers. Though the labor market is headed in the right…