IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/ilrrev/v50y1997i4p557-579.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Compensating Differentials and Unmeasured Ability in the Labor Market for Nurses: Why Do Hospitals Pay More?

Author

Listed:
  • Edward J. Schumacher
  • Barry T. Hirsch

Abstract

Registered nurses (RNs) employed in hospitals realize a large wage advantage relative to RNs employed elsewhere. Cross-sectional estimates indicate a hospital RN wage advantage of roughly 20%. This paper examines possible sources of the hospital premium, a topic of some interest given the current shifting of medical care out of hospitals. Longitudinal analysis of Current Population Survey data for 1979–94 suggests that a third to a half of the advantage is due to unmeasured worker ability, and the authors conclude that the remainder of the advantage probably reflects compensating differentials for hospital disamenities. Supporting these conclusions is evidence that hospital RNs have higher cognitive ability and higher-quality job experience than non-hospital RNs, and indications that shift work accounts for roughly 10% of the hospital premium.

Suggested Citation

  • Edward J. Schumacher & Barry T. Hirsch, 1997. "Compensating Differentials and Unmeasured Ability in the Labor Market for Nurses: Why Do Hospitals Pay More?," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 50(4), pages 557-579, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ilrrev:v:50:y:1997:i:4:p:557-579
    DOI: 10.1177/001979399705000401
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/001979399705000401
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/001979399705000401?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kostiuk, Peter F, 1990. "Compensating Differentials for Shift Work," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(5), pages 1054-1075, October.
    2. Kevin T. Reilly, 1995. "Human Capital and Information: The Employer Size-Wage Effect," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 30(1), pages 1-18.
    3. Erica L. Groshen & Alan B. Krueger, 1990. "The Structure of Supervision and Pay in Hospitals," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 43(3), pages 134-1-146-, April.
    4. Brown, Charles & Medoff, James, 1989. "The Employer Size-Wage Effect," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 97(5), pages 1027-1059, October.
    5. Robert Gibbons & Lawrence Katz, 1992. "Does Unmeasured Ability Explain Inter-Industry Wage Differentials?," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 59(3), pages 515-535.
    6. Hirsch, Barry T. & Schumacher, Edward J., 1995. "Monopsony power and relative wages in the labor market for nurses," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 14(4), pages 443-476, October.
    7. Peracchi, Franco & Welch, Finis, 1995. "How representative are matched cross-sections? Evidence from the Current Population Survey," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 68(1), pages 153-179, July.
    8. LaVonne A. Booton & Julia I. Lane, 1985. "Hospital Market Structure and the Return to Nursing Education," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 20(2), pages 184-196.
    9. Barry T. Hirsch & Edward J. Schumacher, "undated". "Union Wages, Rents, and Skills in Health Care Labor Markets," Working Papers 9721, East Carolina University, Department of Economics.
    10. Macpherson, David A & Hirsch, Barry T, 1995. "Wages and Gender Composition: Why Do Women's Jobs Pay Less?," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 13(3), pages 426-471, July.
    11. George Jakubson, 1991. "Estimation and Testing of the Union Wage Effect Using Panel Data," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 58(5), pages 971-991.
    12. Dumond, J Michael & Hirsch, Barry T & Macpherson, David A, 1999. "Wage Differentials across Labor Markets and Workers: Does Cost of Living Matter?," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 37(4), pages 577-598, October.
    13. Barry T. Hirsch & Edward J. Schumacher, "undated". "Union Wages, Rents, and Skills in Health Care Labor Markets," Working Papers 9721, East Carolina University, Department of Economics.
    14. Adamache, Killard W. & Sloan, Frank A., 1982. "Unions and hospitals : Some unresolved issues," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 81-108, May.
    15. Levy, Frank & Murnane, Richard J, 1992. "U.S. Earnings Levels and Earnings Inequality: A Review of Recent Trends and Proposed Explanations," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 30(3), pages 1333-1381, September.
    16. Hwang, Hae-shin & Reed, W Robert & Hubbard, Carlton, 1992. "Compensating Wage Differentials and Unobserved Productivity," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 100(4), pages 835-858, August.
    17. Roger Feldman & Richard Scheffler, 1982. "The Union Impact on Hospital Wages and Fringe Benefits," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 35(2), pages 196-206, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Daniel I. Rees & Joseph J. Sabia, 2015. "Migraine Headache and Labor Market Outcomes," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 24(6), pages 659-671, June.
    2. Edward J. Schumacher, "undated". "The Earnings and Employment of Nurses: Evidence from the 1990s," Working Papers 9803, East Carolina University, Department of Economics.
    3. Sæther, Erik Magnus, 2009. "Wage Policies for Health Personnel - Essays on the Wage Impact on Hours of Work and Practice Choice," HERO Online Working Paper Series 2005:1, University of Oslo, Health Economics Research Programme.
    4. Sæther, Erik Magnus, 2009. "Compensating differentials for nurses," HERO Online Working Paper Series 2004:10, University of Oslo, Health Economics Research Programme.
    5. Lanfranchi, Joseph & Ohlsson, Henry & Skalli, Ali, 2002. "Compensating wage differentials and shift work preferences," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 74(3), pages 393-398, February.
    6. Hamermesh, Daniel S., 1999. "Crime and the Timing of Work," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 311-330, March.
    7. Barry T. Hirsch & Edward J. Schumacher, "undated". "Union Wages, Rents, and Skills in Health Care Labor Markets," Working Papers 9721, East Carolina University, Department of Economics.
    8. Lanfranchi, Joseph & Ohlsson, Henry & Skalli, Ali, 2002. "Compensating wage differentials and shift work preferences," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 74(3), pages 393-398, February.
    9. Barry T. Hirsch & Edward J. Schumacher, 2012. "Underpaid or Overpaid? Wage Analysis for Nurses Using Job and Worker Attributes," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 78(4), pages 1096-1119, April.
    10. Spetz, Joanne, 2002. "The value of education in a licensed profession: the choice of associate or baccalaureate degrees in nursing," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 73-85, February.
    11. Hirsch, Barry & Manzella, Julia, 2014. "Who Cares – and Does It Matter? Measuring Wage Penalties for Caring Work," IZA Discussion Papers 8388, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    12. Edward J. Schumacher, 2001. "The Earnings and Employment of Nurses in an Era of Cost Containment," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 55(1), pages 116-132, October.
    13. Sæther, Erik Magnus, 2009. "Nurses’ labor supply with endogenous choice of care level and shift type A nested discrete choice model with nonlinear income," HERO Online Working Paper Series 2004:9, University of Oslo, Health Economics Research Programme.
    14. Michael Dueker & Ada Jacox & David Kalist & Stephen Spurr, 2005. "The Practice Boundaries of Advanced Practice Nurses: An Economic and Legal Analysis," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 27(3), pages 309-330, January.
    15. Edward J. Schumacher, 1999. ""The Earnings and Employment of Nurses in an Era of Cost Containment," Working Papers 9910, East Carolina University, Department of Economics.
    16. Daniel S. Hamermesh, 1999. "Changing Inequality in Markets for Workplace Amenities," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 114(4), pages 1085-1123.
    17. James Peoples & Bin Wang, 2007. "Privatization and Labor Cost Savings: Evidence from Health Care Services," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 35(2), pages 145-157, June.
    18. Janet Currie & Mehdi Farsi & W. Bentley Macleod, 2005. "Cut to the Bone? Hospital Takeovers and Nurse Employment Contracts," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 58(3), pages 471-493, April.
    19. Edward J. Schumacher, "undated". "Relative Wages and the Returns to Education in the Labor Market for Registered Nurses," Working Papers 9720, East Carolina University, Department of Economics.
    20. Keith A. Bender & Hosne A. Mridha & James Peoples, 2006. "Risk Compensation for Hospital Workers: Evidence from Relative Wages of Janitors," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 59(2), pages 226-242, January.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Edward J. Schumacher, "undated". "Relative Wages and the Returns to Education in the Labor Market for Registered Nurses," Working Papers 9601, East Carolina University, Department of Economics.
    2. Barry T. Hirsch & Edward J. Schumacher, "undated". "Union Wages, Rents, and Skills in Health Care Labor Markets," Working Papers 9721, East Carolina University, Department of Economics.
    3. Matthew Cole & Robert Elliott & Joanne Lindley, 2009. "Dirty money: Is there a wage premium for working in a pollution intensive industry?," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 39(2), pages 161-180, October.
    4. repec:eee:labchp:v:3:y:1999:i:pb:p:2165-2214 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Mahmood Araï & Gérard Ballot & Ali Skalli, 1996. "Différentiels intersectoriels de salaire et caractéristiques des employeurs en France," Économie et Statistique, Programme National Persée, vol. 299(1), pages 37-58.
    6. Stephanie Lluis, "undated". "Endogenous Choice of Firm Size and the Sturcture of Wages: A Comparison of Canada and the United States," Working Papers 0203, Human Resources and Labor Studies, University of Minnesota (Twin Cities Campus).
    7. StÈphane Bonhomme & GrÈgory Jolivet, 2009. "The pervasive absence of compensating differentials," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 24(5), pages 763-795.
    8. Edward J. Schumacher, "undated". "What Explains Union Membership Contract Coverage Wage Differentials?," Working Papers 9719, East Carolina University, Department of Economics.
    9. Sæther, Erik Magnus, 2009. "Compensating differentials for nurses," HERO Online Working Paper Series 2004:10, University of Oslo, Health Economics Research Programme.
    10. Barry T. Hirsch & David A. Macpherson, 2004. "Wages, Sorting on Skill, and the Racial Composition of Jobs," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 22(1), pages 189-210, January.
    11. Scott Stern, 2004. "Do Scientists Pay to Be Scientists?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 50(6), pages 835-853, June.
    12. Douglas A. Webber, 2016. "Firm-Level Monopsony and the Gender Pay Gap," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(2), pages 323-345, April.
    13. Sullivan, Daniel, 1989. "Monopsony Power in the Market for Nurses," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 32(2), pages 135-178, October.
    14. Scott Stern, 1999. "Do Scientists Pay to Be Scientists?," NBER Working Papers 7410, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    15. B. T. Hirsch & D. A. Macpherson, "undated". "Wages, racial composition, and quality sorting in labor markets," Institute for Research on Poverty Discussion Papers 1038-94, University of Wisconsin Institute for Research on Poverty.
    16. Erica L. Groshen, 1996. "American Employer Salary Surveys and Labor Economics Reseach: Issues and Contributions," Annals of Economics and Statistics, GENES, issue 41-42, pages 413-442.
    17. Nikolaos Georgantzis & Efi Vasileiou, 2014. "Are Dangerous Jobs Paid Better? European Evidence," Research in Labor Economics, in: New Analyses of Worker Well-Being, volume 38, pages 163-192, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    18. David Neumark & Daiji Kawaguchi, 2001. "Attrition Bias in Economic Relationships Estimated with Matched CPS Files," NBER Working Papers 8663, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    19. Peter McHenry & Jennifer Mellor, 2018. "Medicare hospital payment adjustments and nursing wages," International Journal of Health Economics and Management, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 169-196, June.
    20. William E. Even & David A. Macpherson, 2012. "Is Bigger Still Better? The Decline of the Wage Premium at Large Firms," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 78(4), pages 1181-1201, April.
    21. Andrew E. Clark, 1996. "Job Satisfaction in Britain," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 34(2), pages 189-217, June.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:ilrrev:v:50:y:1997:i:4:p:557-579. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.ilr.cornell.edu .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.