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Open Access

Vocational versus General Upper Secondary Education and Earnings

Eskil Heinesen and Elise Stenholt Lange
Published online before print May 09, 2022, 0221-11497R2; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.0221-11497R2
Eskil Heinesen
Eskil Heinesen is a research professor at the ROCKWOOL Foundation Research Unit in Copenhagen, Denmark
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Elise Stenholt Lange
Elise Stenholt Lange is a postdoctoral researcher at Aalborg University, Denmark.
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Abstract

We estimate the effects of completing vocational rather than general upper secondary education programs on earnings at age 28 and, using surrogate index techniques, at age 40. We apply longitudinal administrative data for Denmark, and marginal treatment effect models, with distances to educational institutions as instruments. We find significant and substantial heterogeneity in earnings effects consistent with selection on gains. A policy shifting students at the margin towards vocational education tends to have small and insignificant long-term effects for females and for males with low math skills, but negative long-term effects for males with high math skills.

JEL classification:
  • J24
  • J31
  • J21
  • C36

This open access article is distributed under the terms of the CC-BY-NC-ND license. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) and is freely available online at: http://jhr.uwpress.org

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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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Vocational versus General Upper Secondary Education and Earnings
Eskil Heinesen, Elise Stenholt Lange
Journal of Human Resources May 2022, 0221-11497R2; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.0221-11497R2

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Vocational versus General Upper Secondary Education and Earnings
Eskil Heinesen, Elise Stenholt Lange
Journal of Human Resources May 2022, 0221-11497R2; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.0221-11497R2
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Keywords

  • J24
  • J31
  • J21
  • C36
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