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The Geography of Jobs: How Proximity to a Prestige Labor Market Shapes Opportunity for Computer Science Degree Holders

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  • Tiffany Chow

    (Department of Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9430, USA)

Abstract

A computer science degree is seen as a good investment, given the lucrative calling of Silicon Valley and the ever-growing demand for software engineers. Yet, it is unclear whether all computer science degree holders fare equally well on the job market. This study explores how the routing of computer science (CS) students to specific educational geographies plays a major role in determining their career trajectories post-graduation. Using a new survey for recent computer science graduates of three public universities in Texas, I measure labor market outcomes for CS degree holders along three metrics: salary, job location, and job title. Results from 157 respondents show that alumni from universities near a major tech hub are more likely to earn higher wages in desirable job markets compared with graduates from a university located far from a dense tech hub. Although most previous studies have focused on gender and racial disparities within the high-tech industry, I provide a new lens to understand how inequality manifests through geographic segregation and leaves even high-skilled job seekers vulnerable to spatial mismatch between their place of residence and proximity to desirable, elite jobs.

Suggested Citation

  • Tiffany Chow, 2022. "The Geography of Jobs: How Proximity to a Prestige Labor Market Shapes Opportunity for Computer Science Degree Holders," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-18, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:11:y:2022:i:3:p:116-:d:767322
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alison T. Wynn & Shelley J. Correll, 2017. "Gendered Perceptions of Cultural and Skill Alignment in Technology Companies," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-28, May.
    2. Gaddis, S. Michael, 2015. "Discrimination in the Credential Society: An Audit Study of Race and College Selectivity in the Labor Market," SocArXiv 6qjue, Center for Open Science.
    3. Kimberlee A. Shauman, 2017. "Gender Differences in the Early Employment Outcomes of STEM Doctorates," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-26, March.
    4. Sharon Sassler & Katherine Michelmore & Kristin Smith, 2017. "A Tale of Two Majors: Explaining the Gender Gap in STEM Employment among Computer Science and Engineering Degree Holders," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-26, July.
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    Keywords

    race; STEM; inequality; education;
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