Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current
    • Ahead of print
    • Archive
    • Supplementary Material
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Subscribers
    • Institutions
    • Advertisers
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
  • Connect
    • Feedback
    • Help
    • Request JHR at your library
  • Alerts
  • Free Issue
  • Special Issue
  • Other Publications
    • UWP

User menu

  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
Journal of Human Resources
  • Other Publications
    • UWP
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart
Journal of Human Resources

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current
    • Ahead of print
    • Archive
    • Supplementary Material
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Subscribers
    • Institutions
    • Advertisers
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
  • Connect
    • Feedback
    • Help
    • Request JHR at your library
  • Alerts
  • Free Issue
  • Special Issue
  • Follow uwp on Twitter
  • Follow JHR on Bluesky
Research ArticleArticle

Teacher Pension Plan Incentives, Retirement Decisions, and Workforce Quality

Shawn Ni, Michael Podgursky and Xiqian Wang
Published online before print January 14, 2020, 1218-9912R2; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.57.1.1218-9912R2
Shawn Ni
Shawn Ni is a Professor of Economics in the Department of Economics, University of Missouri-Columbia.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Michael Podgursky
Michael Podgursky is Chancellor’s Professor of Economics in the Department of Economics, University of Missouri-Columbia and Director, Sinquefield Center for Applied Economic Research, Saint Louis University (email: )
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: [email protected]
Xiqian Wang
Xiqian Wang is an Assistant Professor in the School of Economics and Management, Beijing University of Technology
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • Supplemental
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

We analyze late-career teacher turnover induced by pension incentives. Using longitudinal data on Tennessee teachers, we find high quality teachers less likely to retire conditional on age and experience. We estimate a structural model for retirement that allows high and lower quality teachers to have different work-retirement preferences and use it to simulate the effect of alternative pension plan designs. Enhancements to traditional plans accelerate teacher retirement and reduce average teacher quality, whereas defined contribution (DC) plans have the opposite effect. Under the current plan, targeted retention bonuses would delay retirement of high quality teachers at relatively modest cost.

This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.

Log in using your username and password

Forgot your user name or password?

Purchase access

You may purchase access to this article. This will require you to create an account if you don't already have one.
Next
Back to top

In this issue

Journal of Human Resources: 60 (3)
Journal of Human Resources
Vol. 60, Issue 3
1 May 2025
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • Index by author
  • Front Matter (PDF)
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on Journal of Human Resources.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Teacher Pension Plan Incentives, Retirement Decisions, and Workforce Quality
(Your Name) has sent you a message from Journal of Human Resources
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the Journal of Human Resources web site.
Citation Tools
Teacher Pension Plan Incentives, Retirement Decisions, and Workforce Quality
Shawn Ni, Michael Podgursky, Xiqian Wang
Journal of Human Resources Jan 2020, 1218-9912R2; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.57.1.1218-9912R2

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Share
Teacher Pension Plan Incentives, Retirement Decisions, and Workforce Quality
Shawn Ni, Michael Podgursky, Xiqian Wang
Journal of Human Resources Jan 2020, 1218-9912R2; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.57.1.1218-9912R2
Twitter logo Facebook logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One
Bookmark this article

Jump to section

  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • Supplemental
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • No citing articles found.
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • In-State College Enrollment and Later Life Location Decisions
  • The Journal of Human Resources Referees Volume 55
  • The Economic Burden of Crime
Show more Article

Similar Articles

UW Press logo

© 2025 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System

Powered by HighWire