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 ArticleArticles

Stacking the Deck for Employment Success: Labor Market Returns to Stackable Credentials

Katharine E. Meyer, Kelli A. Bird and Benjamin L. Castleman
Published online before print June 10, 2022, 1120-11320R2; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.1120-11320R2
Katharine E. Meyer
Katharine E. Meyer is a postdoctoral research association at Brown University.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Kelli A. Bird
Kelli A. Bird is a research assistant professor at the University of Virginia’s School of Education and Human Development.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Benjamin L. Castleman
Ben Castleman is the Newton and Rita Meyers Associate Professor in the Economics of Education at the University of Virginia.
  • 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

With rapid technological transformations to the labor market, many working adults return to college after graduation to obtain additional training or credentials. Using a comparative individual fixed effects strategy and an administrative panel dataset of enrollment and employment in Virginia, we estimate the labor market returns to credential “stacking” – earning two or more community college certificates or degrees – among working adults. We find stacking increases employment by four percentage points and quarterly wages by $375 (four percent). Returns are larger for individuals studying in Health and who return to college after first completing a short-term certificate.

JEL Classification Numbers:
  • I26
  • J24

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.
PreviousNext
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.
Stacking the Deck for Employment Success: Labor Market Returns to Stackable Credentials
(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
Stacking the Deck for Employment Success: Labor Market Returns to Stackable Credentials
Katharine E. Meyer, Kelli A. Bird, Benjamin L. Castleman
Journal of Human Resources Jun 2022, 1120-11320R2; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.1120-11320R2

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Share
Stacking the Deck for Employment Success: Labor Market Returns to Stackable Credentials
Katharine E. Meyer, Kelli A. Bird, Benjamin L. Castleman
Journal of Human Resources Jun 2022, 1120-11320R2; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.1120-11320R2
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

  • Sexual Orientation and Multiple Job Holding
  • Owning the Agent
  • Understanding the Educational Attainment Polygenic Index and its Interactions with SES in Determining Health in Young Adulthood
Show more Articles

Similar Articles

Keywords

  • I26
  • J24
UW Press logo

© 2025 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System

Powered by HighWire