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Years and Intensity of Schooling Investing

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  • Arleen Leibowitz

Abstract

An essential feature of schooling is not only that it occurs in a different site than most on-the-job training but also that it is more intensive. That is, a smaller proportion of gross potential earnings is sacrificed in on-the-job training than in schooling. In estimating human capital earnings functions it has generally been assumed that during schooling 100% of gross potential earnings are invested in all years, while in on-the-job training this percentage is smaller and is a declining function of age. This assumption has been quite useful since it allows the identification of an estimate of the rate of return on schooling from a regression of earnings on years of schooling. This paper argues that the percentage of gross earnings invested may fall below 100% well before schooling is ended, that this percentage is likely to be correlated with years of schooling, and thus this procedure yields only a biased estimate of the rate of return to schooling.

Suggested Citation

  • Arleen Leibowitz, 1974. "Years and Intensity of Schooling Investing," NBER Working Papers 0049, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
  • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:0049
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    1. Griliches, Zvi & Mason, William M, 1972. "Education, Income, and Ability," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 80(3), pages 74-103, Part II, .
    2. Giora Hanoch, 1967. "An Economic Analysis of Earnings and Schooling," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 2(3), pages 310-329.
    3. Mincer, Jacob & Polachek, Solomon, 1974. "Family Investment in Human Capital: Earnings of Women," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 82(2), pages 76-108, Part II, .
    4. Yorman Ben-Porath, 1970. "The Production of Human Capital Over Time," NBER Chapters, in: Education, Income, and Human Capital, pages 129-154, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Lee A. Lillard, 1973. "Human Capital Life Cycle of Earnings Models: A Specific Solution and Estimation," NBER Working Papers 0004, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Lewis C. Solmon, 1973. "The Definition and Impact of College Quality," NBER Working Papers 0007, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Hause, John C, 1972. "Earnings Profile: Ability and Schooling," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 80(3), pages 108-138, Part II, .
    8. Johnson, Thomas, 1970. "Returns from Investment in Human Capital," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 60(4), pages 546-560, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mu Lin & Jingxin Gao & Yongjie Du & Pengyu Ren, 2023. "Mismatch in Urban Construction Land Use and Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence from China," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-21, February.

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