RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Why Are the Returns to Schooling Higher for Women than for Men?
JF Journal of Human Resources
JO J Hum Resour
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 969
OP 988
DO 10.3368/jhr.XL.4.969
VO XL
IS 4
A1 Christopher Dougherty
YR 2005
UL http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/XL/4/969.abstract
AB Many studies have found that the impact of schooling on earnings is greater for females than for males, despite the fact that females tend to earn less, both absolutely and controlling for personal characteristics. This study investigates possible reasons for this effect, using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979–. One explanation is that education appears to have a double effect on the earnings of women. It increases their skills and productivity, as it does with men, and in addition it appears to reduce the gap in male and female earnings attributable to factors such as discrimination, tastes, and circumstances. The latter appear to account for about half of the differential in the returns to schooling.