Field of Study in College and Lifetime Earnings in the United States.

ABSTRACT: Our understanding about the relationship between education and lifetime earnings often neglects differences by field of study. Utilizing data that matches respondents in the Survey of Income and Program Participation to their longitudinal earnings records based on administrative tax information, we investigate the trajectories of annual earnings following the same individuals over 20 years and then estimate the long-term effects of field of study on earnings for U.S. men and women. Our results provide new evidence revealing large lifetime earnings gaps across field of study. We show important differences in individuals' earnings trajectories across the different stages of the work-life by field of study. In addition, the gaps in 40-year (i.e., ages 20 to 59) median lifetime earnings

SUBMITTER: Kim C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5198720 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature