ERIC Number: ED660662
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Apr
Pages: 80
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Skills, Majors, and Jobs: Does Higher Education Respond? Upjohn Institute Working Paper 24-400
Johnathan G. Conzelmann; Shawn Martin; Steven W. Hemelt; Andrew Simon; Brad J. Hershbein; Kevin M. Stange
W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research
How does postsecondary human capital investment respond to changes in labor market skill demand? We quantify the magnitude and nature of this response in the U.S. 4-year sector. To do so, we develop a new measure of institution-major-specific labor demand, and corresponding shift-share instrument, that combines job ads with alumni locations. We find that postsecondary human capital investments meaningfully respond. We estimate elasticities for degrees and credits centered around 1.3, generally increasing with time horizon. We provide evidence that both student demand and institutional supply-side constraints matter. Our findings illuminate the nature of educational production in higher education.
Descriptors: Undergraduate Students, Majors (Students), Demand Occupations, Job Skills, Human Capital, Employment Potential, Student Educational Objectives, Course Selection (Students), Relevance (Education), School Effectiveness, Educational Change
W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. 300 South Westnedge Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49007-4686. Tel: 888-227-8569; Tel: 269-343-4330; Fax: 269-343-7310; Web site: http://research.upjohn.org/upjohn_publications/
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF); Russell Sage Foundation; Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Authoring Institution: W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: 1919387; R305B150012