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Student Veterans’ Outcomes by Higher Education Sector: Evidence from Three Cohorts of the Baccalaureate and Beyond

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  • Jennifer L. Steele

    (American University)

  • Peter Buryk

    (City of Norfolk)

  • Geoffrey McGovern

    (RAND Corporation)

Abstract

We use nationally representative survey data from three cohorts of bachelor’s degree recipients to examine military veterans’ student loan debt at graduation and their employment and earnings 1, 4, and 10 years after graduation, relative to observably similar graduates. We also examine whether the effects of veteran status depend on college sector. Using propensity score weights with covariate adjustment, we find employment and earnings premiums for veterans 1 and 4 years after graduation, and an employment penalty but earnings premium (conditional on employment) 10 years after graduation. We find no clear evidence of a for-profit employment or earnings penalty among bachelor’s degree recipients, including veterans. We do find that veterans are as likely as similar non-veterans to graduate with debt, and that graduating from a for-profit institution yields markedly higher debt amounts, especially for veterans, despite the availability of Montgomery GI Bill benefits for these cohorts.

Suggested Citation

  • Jennifer L. Steele & Peter Buryk & Geoffrey McGovern, 2018. "Student Veterans’ Outcomes by Higher Education Sector: Evidence from Three Cohorts of the Baccalaureate and Beyond," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 59(7), pages 866-896, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:reihed:v:59:y:2018:i:7:d:10.1007_s11162-017-9491-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s11162-017-9491-x
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    Cited by:

    1. Matthew Baird & Michael S. Kofoed & Trey Miller & Jennie Wenger, 2022. "Veteran Educators or For‐Profiteers? Tuition Responses to Changes in the Post‐9/11 GI Bill," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(4), pages 1012-1039, September.

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