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The Effects of Race, Sex, and Expected Returns on the Choice of College Major

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  • J. Farley Ordovensky Staniec

    (Economics Department, University of the Pacific)

Abstract

This paper examines whether race and sex play significant roles in the choice of college major for entering freshmen. Of particular interest is whether women and minority students are more or less likely, holding other things constant, to choose to major in science, engineering, or math (SEM). Using data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study: 1988-94 (NELS:88), results indicate that, even controlling for individual, family, and school characteristics, females are less likely, and Asians and Blacks are more likely, to choose SEM majors. However, including expected returns in the estimation eliminates the significance of being female and Asian (but not Black) on SEM major choice.

Suggested Citation

  • J. Farley Ordovensky Staniec, 2004. "The Effects of Race, Sex, and Expected Returns on the Choice of College Major," Eastern Economic Journal, Eastern Economic Association, vol. 30(4), pages 549-562, Fall.
    • Handle: RePEc:eej:eeconj:v:30:y:2004:i:4:p:549-562
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    File URL: http://web.holycross.edu/RePEc/eej/Archive/Volume30/V30N4P549_562.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Blakemore, Arthur E & Low, Stuart A, 1984. "Sex Differences in Occupational Selection: The Case of College Majors," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 66(1), pages 157-163, February.
    2. Andrew M. Gill & Duane E. Leigh, 2000. "Community College Enrollment, College Major, and the Gender Wage Gap," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 54(1), pages 163-181, October.
    3. Ganderton, Philip T. & Santos, Richard, 1995. "Hispanic college attendance and completion: Evidence from the high school and beyond surveys," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 35-46, March.
    4. Solomon William Polachek, 1978. "Sex Differences in College Major," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 31(4), pages 498-508, July.
    5. Julian R. Betts, 1996. "What Do Students Know about Wages? Evidence from a Survey of Undergraduates," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 31(1), pages 27-56.
    6. Hagy, Alison P. & Staniec, J. Farley Ordovensky, 2002. "Immigrant status, race, and institutional choice in higher education," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(4), pages 381-392, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Hilmer, Michael J. & Hilmer, Christiana E., 2012. "On the relationship between student tastes and motivations, higher education decisions, and annual earnings," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 66-75.
    2. Milagros Nores, 2010. "Differences in College Major Choice by Citizenship Status," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 627(1), pages 125-141, January.
    3. Rask, Kevin, 2010. "Attrition in STEM fields at a liberal arts college: The importance of grades and pre-collegiate preferences," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(6), pages 892-900, December.
    4. Steven Elías Alvarado & Paul Muniz, 2018. "Racial and Ethnic Heterogeneity in the Effect of MESA on AP STEM Coursework and College STEM Major Aspirations," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 59(7), pages 933-957, November.
    5. H. Kenny Nienhusser & Toko Oshio, 2017. "High School Students’ Accuracy in Estimating the Cost of College: A Proposed Methodological Approach and Differences Among Racial/Ethnic Groups and College Financial-Related Factors," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 58(7), pages 723-745, November.
    6. J Farley O Staniec, 2017. "Missing Men: Determinants of the Gender Gap in Education Majors," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 43(4), pages 699-714, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Female; Race; Women;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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