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Patterns of overeducation in Europe: The role of field of study

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  • Boll, Christina
  • Rossen, Anja
  • Wolf, André

Abstract

This study investigates the incidence of overeducation among graduate workers in 21 EU countries and its underlying factors based on the European Labor Force Survey 2016 (EU-LFS). Although controlling for a wide range of covariates, the particular interest lies in the role of fields of study for vertical educational mismatch. The study reveals country and gender differences in the impact of these factors. Compared to Social Sciences, male graduates from e.g. Education, Health and Welfare, Engineering, and ICT are less and those from e.g. Services and Natural Sciences are more at risk in a clear majority of countries. These findings hold for the majority of countries and are robust against a change of the standard education. However, countries show different gendered patterns of fieldspecific risks. We suggest that occupational closure, productivity signals and gender stereotypes answer for these cross-field and cross-country differentials. Moreover, country fixed effects point to relevant structural differences between national labour markets and between educational systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Boll, Christina & Rossen, Anja & Wolf, André, 2018. "Patterns of overeducation in Europe: The role of field of study," HWWI Research Papers 184, Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:hwwirp:184
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    Cited by:

    1. Esposito, Piero & Scicchitano, Sergio, 2022. "Educational mismatch and labour market transitions in Italy: Is there an unemployment trap?," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 138-155.
    2. Paulina Broniatowska, 2021. "Wage Effects of Overeducation: Evidence from Poland," Central European Journal of Economic Modelling and Econometrics, Central European Journal of Economic Modelling and Econometrics, vol. 13(1), pages 25-53, March.
    3. Manuel Salas-Velasco, 2021. "Mapping the (mis)match of university degrees in the graduate labor market," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 55(1), pages 1-23, December.
    4. Yousef Makhlouf & Christopher Lalley, 2023. "Education Expansion, Income Inequality and Structural Transformation: Evidence From OECD Countries," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 169(1), pages 255-281, September.
    5. S.D. Kapelyuk & E.N. Lishchuk, 2020. "The Scale of Overeducation in the Rural Labor Market," Journal of Applied Economic Research, Graduate School of Economics and Management, Ural Federal University, vol. 19(3), pages 370-397.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    field of study; college major; overeducation; vertical mismatch; gender; realized matches; household context; EU countries; Labour Force Survey;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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