Earnings risk and demand for higher education: A cross-section test for Spain

Authors
Publication date 2007
Journal Journal of Applied Economics
Volume | Issue number 10
Pages (from-to) 1-28
Number of pages 28
Organisations
  • Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) - Amsterdam School of Economics Research Institute (ASE-RI)
Abstract We develop a simple human capital model for optimum schooling length when earnings are stochastic, and highlight the pivotal role of risk attitudes and the schooling gradient of earnings risk. We use Spanish data to document the gradient and to estimate individual response to earnings risk in deciding on attending university education, by measuring risk as the residual variance in regional earnings functions. We find that the basic response is negative but that in households with lower risk aversion, the response will be dampened substantially and may even be reversed to positive.
Document type Article
Language English
Published at https://ideas.repec.org/a/cem/jaecon/v10y2007n1p1-28.html
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