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Monetary returns to academic ability in the public teacher labor market

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  • Player, Daniel

Abstract

Previous research has established the returns to academic ability in the general labor market, and this paper investigates such returns in the teacher labor market. Using a nationally representative sample of public school teachers, I find that teachers who graduate from the most selective undergraduate institutions have salaries that are between 7% and 14% higher than those who graduate from the least selective colleges. An empirical investigation of the source of these returns reveals that the majority of this difference is due to high-ability teachers sorting into higher paying districts, though a non-trivial amount arises from within-district deviations from the salary schedule.

Suggested Citation

  • Player, Daniel, 2009. "Monetary returns to academic ability in the public teacher labor market," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 277-285, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:28:y:2009:i:2:p:277-285
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    2. Gilpin, Gregory A., 2012. "Teacher salaries and teacher aptitude: An analysis using quantile regressions," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 15-29.
    3. Alejandra Mizala & Hugo Ñopo, 2014. "Measuring the Relative Pay of Latin American School Teachers at the turn of the 20th Century," Working Papers 15, Peruvian Economic Association.
    4. Grissom, Jason A. & Timmer, Jennifer D. & Nelson, Jennifer L. & Blissett, Richard S.L., 2021. "Unequal pay for equal work? Unpacking the gender gap in principal compensation," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    5. Larsen, S. Eric, 2010. "Teacher MA attainment rates, 1970-2000," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(5), pages 772-782, October.
    6. Zhou, Jinyan & Du, Ping & Zhao, Wen & Feng, Siche, 2022. "Skill requirements and remunerations in the private teacher labor market: Estimations with online advertisements in China," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    7. Mizala, Alejandra & Ñopo, Hugo, 2016. "Measuring the relative pay of school teachers in Latin America 1997–2007," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 20-32.

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