Skip to main content

The Career Prospects of Overeducated Americans

Publication ,  Journal Article
Clark, B; Joubert, C; Maurel, AP
Published in: Economic Research Initiatives at Duke (ERID)
May 1, 2014

In this paper we analyze career dynamics for the large share of U.S. workers who have more schooling than their peers in the same occupation. We use data from the NLSY79 combined with the CPS to analyze transitions into and out of overeducated employment, together with the corresponding effects on wages. Overeducation is a fairly persistent phenomenon at the aggregate and individual levels, with 66% of workers remaining overeducated after one year. Overeducation is not only more common, but also more persistent among blacks and low-AFQT individuals. Further, the hazard rate out of overeducation drops by about 60% during the first 5 years spent overeducated. However, the estimation of a mixed proportional hazard model suggests that this is attributable to selection on unobservables rather than true duration dependence. Finally, overeducation is associated with lower current as well as future wages, which points to the existence of scarring effects.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Economic Research Initiatives at Duke (ERID)

Publication Date

May 1, 2014

Issue

176

Related Subject Headings

  • 3803 Economic theory
  • 3801 Applied economics
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Clark, B., Joubert, C., & Maurel, A. P. (2014). The Career Prospects of Overeducated Americans. Economic Research Initiatives at Duke (ERID), (176).
Clark, B., C. Joubert, and A. P. Maurel. “The Career Prospects of Overeducated Americans.” Economic Research Initiatives at Duke (ERID), no. 176 (May 1, 2014).
Clark B, Joubert C, Maurel AP. The Career Prospects of Overeducated Americans. Economic Research Initiatives at Duke (ERID). 2014 May 1;(176).
Clark, B., et al. “The Career Prospects of Overeducated Americans.” Economic Research Initiatives at Duke (ERID), no. 176, May 2014.
Clark B, Joubert C, Maurel AP. The Career Prospects of Overeducated Americans. Economic Research Initiatives at Duke (ERID). 2014 May 1;(176).

Published In

Economic Research Initiatives at Duke (ERID)

Publication Date

May 1, 2014

Issue

176

Related Subject Headings

  • 3803 Economic theory
  • 3801 Applied economics