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College majors and skills: Evidence from the universe of online job ads

Author

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  • Hemelt, Steven W.
  • Hershbein, Brad
  • Martin, Shawn
  • Stange, Kevin M.

Abstract

We use the near universe of U.S. online job ads to document four new facts about the skills employers demand from college majors. First, some skills—social and organizational—are demanded from all majors whereas others—financial and customer service—are demanded from only particular majors. Second, some majors have skill demand profiles that mirror overall demand for college graduates, such as Business and General Engineering, while other majors, such as Nursing and Education, have relatively rare skill profiles. Third, cross-major differences in skill profiles explain considerable wage variation. Fourth, although major-specific skill demand varies across place, this variation plays little role in explaining wage variation. College majors can thus be reasonably conceptualized as portable bundles of skills.

Suggested Citation

  • Hemelt, Steven W. & Hershbein, Brad & Martin, Shawn & Stange, Kevin M., 2023. "College majors and skills: Evidence from the universe of online job ads," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:labeco:v:85:y:2023:i:c:s0927537123001045
    DOI: 10.1016/j.labeco.2023.102429
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    Cited by:

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    2. Woessmann, Ludger, 2024. "Skills and Earnings: A Multidimensional Perspective on Human Capital," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 730, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    3. Barbara Biasi & Song Ma, 2022. "The Education-Innovation Gap," CESifo Working Paper Series 9653, CESifo.
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    5. Deborah M. Weiss & Matthew L. Spitzer & Colton Cronin & Neil Chin, 2024. "Why college majors and selectivity matter: Major groupings, occupation specificity, and job skills," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 42(2), pages 278-304, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    College major; Skill demand; Job ads;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I26 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Returns to Education
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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