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Does Education Matter for Economic Growth?

Author

Listed:
  • Michael S. Delgado

    (Department of Economics, State University of New York at Binghamton)

  • Daniel J. Henderson

    (Department of Economics, State University of New York at Binghamton)

  • Christopher F. Parmeter

    (Department of Economics, University of Miami)

Abstract

Empirical economic research typically uses education as a proxy for human capital. However, research aimed at validating the inclusion of education measures in growth regressions has yet to reach a consensus, often finding that the sign and significance of education depends on the sample of observations or the specification of the model. The goal of this paper is to reconcile the conflicting empirical evidence and validate (or invalidate) the inclusion of education in international growth regressions by providing a rigorous and systematic search for significance of education. Using methods which are largely immune to model misspecification, we examine six of the most comprehensive education databases in an attempt to identify a robust empirical link between mean years of schooling and economic growth rates. Contrary to a few recent papers that have identified significant nonlinearities between education and growth, our results show that the inclusion of mean years of schooling in growth regressions is not warranted.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael S. Delgado & Daniel J. Henderson & Christopher F. Parmeter, 2011. "Does Education Matter for Economic Growth?," Working Papers 2011-13, University of Miami, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:mia:wpaper:2011-13
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Human Capital; Education; Irrelevant Variables; Least-Squares Cross-Validation; Nonparametric;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General

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