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Just the Facts, Ma’am: Postsecondary Education and Labor Market Outcomes in the
US
Harry J. HolzerErin Dunlop
American Institutes for ResearchJanuary 2013
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Purpose of the Analysis
• Seeking descriptive evidence to set stage for CALDER analysis of postsecondary education and labor market outcomes using state administrative data
• Comprehensive, up-to-date snapshot of recent trends and variation across groups
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The Issues
• Most recent trends in postsecondary education attainment in the US
• Differences by race, gender, family background• Effects on labor market outcomes• Role of achievement gaps and other causes• Sub-BA as well as BA and above
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Data: SIPP and NELS
SIPP• Multiple Years: 1990, 2000/01, 2007, 2010• Secular trends and cyclical changes• Large Samples by Age, Race/GenderNELS• One cohort analyzed in depth• Achievement measures• Family background also
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Data (Cont’d)
Outcomes• Education: Attainment and Completion of
Certificate, AA, BA and Above • Education: Field of Study• Employment and Wages, Annual EarningsFor All Adults v. Ages 25-29
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Findings: Trends in Postsecondary Attainments
• 1990s: Growth of BAs• 2000s: Growth of sub-BAs• During the Great Recession: Rising attainment
(sub-BA and BA) • Emergence of gender gap in higher ed.
attainment• Racial Gaps: Less at sub-BA, more at BA Levels
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Completion Rates
• At 2-yr. Schools: Generally low (.34 for AA, .55 for AA or Certificate)
• At 4-Yr. Schools: Generally higher (.63) but wide gaps by race and family background
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Achievement Gaps
• Measured by Grades, Courses Taken and Test Scores
• Remain across Race and Family Background• More mixed by gender: Favor females but
Math/Science v. Reading/English
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Fields of Study• More males in engineering/technical and
natural sciences• More females in health, education• Business: More females at sub-BA and more
males at BA and above• Engineering/Technical: Affected by
Math/Science achievement• Male concentration where labor market
rewards are strongest!
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Labor Market Returns
• Employment, wage gains for each credential – including Certificates and AA
• Differences across Fields of Study
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Gaps in Employment Outcomes
• Male-Female Gap - despite higher educational attainment among young women
• Male-Female Gap – Related to Children, Field of Study interacted with Degree
• Race, Family Background Gaps – Somewhat accounted for by Education/Achievement