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    Field of Study in College and Lifetime Earnings in the United States

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    AFD_Kim_SociolEduc_2015.pdf (618.7Kb)
    Issue Date
    2015-10
    Author
    Kim, ChangHwan
    Tamborini, Christopher R.
    Sakamoto, Arthur
    Publisher
    SAGE Publications
    Type
    Article
    Article Version
    Scholarly/refereed, author accepted manuscript
    Rights
    © American Sociological Association 2015
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    Abstract
    Our understanding about the relationship between education and lifetime earnings often neglects differences by field of study. Utilizing data that matches respondents in the Survey of Income and Program Participation to their longitudinal earnings records based on administrative tax information, we investigate the trajectories of annual earnings following the same individuals over 20 years and then estimate the long-term effects of field of study on earnings for U.S. men and women. Our results provide new evidence revealing large lifetime earnings gaps across field of study. We show important differences in individuals’ earnings trajectories across the different stages of the work-life by field of study. In addition, the gaps in 40-year (i.e., ages 20 to 59) median lifetime earnings among college graduates by field of study are larger, in many instances, than the median gap between high school graduates and college graduates overall. Significant variation is also found among graduate degree holders. Our results uncover important similarities and differences between men and women with regard to the long-term earnings differentials associated with field of study. In general, these findings underscore field of study as a critical dimension of horizontal stratification in educational attainment. Other implications of the empirical findings are also discussed.
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/1808/23238
    DOI
    https://doi.org/10.1177/0038040715602132
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    • Sociology Scholarly Works [80]
    Citation
    Kim, C., Tamborini, C. R., & Sakamoto, A. (2015). Field of Study in College and Lifetime Earnings in the United States. Sociology of Education, 88(4), 320–339. http://doi.org/10.1177/0038040715602132

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    Contact KU ScholarWorks
    785-864-8983
    KU Libraries
    1425 Jayhawk Blvd
    Lawrence, KS 66045
    785-864-8983

    KU Libraries
    1425 Jayhawk Blvd
    Lawrence, KS 66045
    Image Credits
     

     

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