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Overeducation, skill mismatches, and labor market outcomes for college graduates

Author

Listed:
  • Peter J. Sloane

    (Swansea University, UK, Adelaide University, Australia, and IZA, Germany)

  • Kostas Mavromaras

    (Future of Employment and Skills Research Centre, University of Adelaide, Australia, and IZA, Germany)

Abstract

Evidence shows that many college graduates are employed in jobs for which a degree is not required (overeducation), and in which the skills they learned in college are not being fully utilized (overskilling). Policymakers should be particularly concerned about widespread overskilling, which is likely to be harmful to both the welfare of employees and the interests of employers as both overeducation and overskilling can lead to frustration, lower wages, and higher quitting rates while also being a waste of government money spent on education.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter J. Sloane & Kostas Mavromaras, 2020. "Overeducation, skill mismatches, and labor market outcomes for college graduates," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 1-88, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izawol:journl:2020:n:88
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kampelmann, Stephan & Rycx, François, 2012. "The impact of educational mismatch on firm productivity: Evidence from linked panel data," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 918-931.
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    3. Kostas Mavromaras & St�phane Mahuteau & Peter Sloane & Zhang Wei, 2013. "The effect of overskilling dynamics on wages," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(3), pages 281-303, July.
    4. Sicherman, Nachum & Galor, Oded, 1990. "A Theory of Career Mobility," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(1), pages 169-192, February.
    5. Francis Green & Yu Zhu, 2010. "Overqualification, job dissatisfaction, and increasing dispersion in the returns to graduate education," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 62(4), pages 740-763, October.
    6. Kostas Mavromaras & Seamus McGuinness & Nigel O'Leary & Peter Sloane & Zhang Wei, 2013. "Job Mismatches and Labour Market Outcomes: Panel Evidence on University Graduates," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 89(286), pages 382-395, September.
    7. John Robst, 2007. "Education, College Major, and Job Match: Gender Differences in Reasons for Mismatch," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(2), pages 159-175.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    overeducation; skill mismatch; overskilling; graduates;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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