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The Economics of Persistence: Graduation Rates of Athletes as Labor Market Choice

Author

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  • Lawrence DeBrock
  • Wallace Hendricks
  • Roger Koenker

Abstract

In this paper we analyze data for each Division I National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) school on academic characteristics, athletic characteristics, and graduation rates. Three groups of athletes are studied: male football players, male basketball players, and female basketball players. We find strong empirical evidence that traditional labor market opportunities unrelated to sports are significant explanatory variables of the persistence of athletes. In addition, we find support for the hypothesis that professional opportunities have a significant impact on the graduation rate of athletes. This impact is stronger in sports with higher expected financial returns from this form of nondegree employment.

Suggested Citation

  • Lawrence DeBrock & Wallace Hendricks & Roger Koenker, 1996. "The Economics of Persistence: Graduation Rates of Athletes as Labor Market Choice," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 31(3), pages 513-539.
    • Handle: RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:31:y:1996:i:3:p:513-539
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Willis, Robert J & Rosen, Sherwin, 1979. "Education and Self-Selection," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 87(5), pages 7-36, October.
    2. Long, James E & Caudill, Steven B, 1991. "The Impact of Participation in Intercollegiate Athletics on Income and Graduation," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 73(3), pages 525-531, August.
    3. McCormick, Robert E & Tensley, Maurice, 1987. "Athletics versus Academics? Evidence from SAT Scores," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 95(5), pages 1103-1116, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jerome Segura III & Jonathan Willner, 2019. "Athleticism in NCAA D-III: It Ain’t Only Football That Matters," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 20(7), pages 929-958, October.
    2. Alex Krumer & Tal Shavit & Mosi Rosenboim, 2011. "Why do professional athletes have different time preferences than non-athletes?," Judgment and Decision Making, Society for Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 6(6), pages 542-551, August.
    3. Leo H. Kahane & Todd L. Idson, 2002. "Editorial Board Changes," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 3(1), pages 3-5, February.
    4. Daniel R. Marburger, 2015. "How Are Athletic Directors Rewarded in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision?," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 16(3), pages 254-267, April.
    5. repec:cup:judgdm:v:6:y:2011:i:6:p:542-551 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Olbrecht, Alexandre, 2009. "Do academically deficient scholarship athletes earn higher wages subsequent to graduation?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(5), pages 611-619, October.
    7. Louis H. Amato & John M. Gandar & Richard A. Zuber, 2001. "The Impact of Proposition 48 on the Relationship Between Football Success and Football Player Graduation Rates," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 2(2), pages 101-112, May.
    8. Murphy, Kevin J., 2000. "What effect does uncertainty have on the length of labor contracts?," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 7(2), pages 181-201, March.
    9. Kahn, Lawrence M., 2006. "The Economics of College Sports: Cartel Behavior vs. Amateurism," IZA Discussion Papers 2186, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Jerome Segura & Jonathan Willner, 2018. "The Game Is Good at the Top," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 19(5), pages 645-676, June.
    11. Zavale, Nelson Casimiro & Santos, Luísa A. & Manuel, Lourenço & da Conceição L. Dias, Maria & Khan, Maida A. & Tostão, Emílio & Mondjana, Ana M., 2017. "Decision-making in African universities demands rigorous data: Evidence from graduation rates at Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 122-134.
    12. Lawrence M. Kahn, 2007. "Markets: Cartel Behavior and Amateurism in College Sports," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 21(1), pages 209-226, Winter.
    13. B. Erin Fairweather, 2013. "The impact of increased academic standards of Proposition 16 on the graduation rates of women and men in Division IA intercollegiate athletics," Chapters, in: Eva Marikova Leeds & Michael A. Leeds (ed.), Handbook on the Economics of Women in Sports, chapter 11, pages 233-250, Edward Elgar Publishing.

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