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Research ArticleArticle

Long-Term Impacts of Class Size in Compulsory School

Edwin Leuven and Sturla A. Løkken
Published online before print August 03, 2018, 0217-8574R2; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.55.2.0217.8574R2
Edwin Leuven
iiDepartment of Economics, University of Oslo. Also affiliated with CESifo, CEPR, ESOP, IZA and Statistics Norway. E-mail: .
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Sturla A. Løkken
iiiResearch Department, Statistics Norway; Department of Economics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology. E-mail: .
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Abstract

How does class size in compulsory school affect people’s long run education and earnings? We use maximum class size rules and Norwegian administrative registries allowing us to observe outcomes up to age 48. We do not find any indication of beneficial effects of class-size reduction in compulsory school. For a one-person reduction in class size we reject effects on income as small as 0.12 percent in primary school and 0.15 percent in middle school. Population differences in parental background, school size, or competitive pressure do not appear to reconcile our findings with previous studies.

JEL-Codes
  • I21
  • I28
  • J24
  • C30
Keywords
  • Class size
  • Schooling
  • Earnings
  • Regression Discontinuity

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Journal of Human Resources: 60 (3)
Journal of Human Resources
Vol. 60, Issue 3
1 May 2025
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Long-Term Impacts of Class Size in Compulsory School
Edwin Leuven, Sturla A. Løkken
Journal of Human Resources Aug 2018, 0217-8574R2; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.55.2.0217.8574R2

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Long-Term Impacts of Class Size in Compulsory School
Edwin Leuven, Sturla A. Løkken
Journal of Human Resources Aug 2018, 0217-8574R2; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.55.2.0217.8574R2
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Keywords

  • I21
  • I28
  • J24
  • C30
  • class size
  • schooling
  • earnings
  • regression discontinuity
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