Labour market outcomes and skill acquisition of high-school dropouts

Michele Campolieti, Tao Fang, Morley K Gunderson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

26 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We estimate the effect that dropping out of high school has on 8 outcomes pertaining to wages, employment and subsequent skill acquisition for youths. Our analysis is based on the older cohort of the Youth in Transition Survey (YITS) for 2003, an ideal data set because it contains a rich array of outcome measures and characteristics on individuals when they are in high school and a few years later. Our analysis indicates that dropouts have poorer wage and employment outcomes, and they do not make up for their lack of education through additional skill acquisition and training. The analysis thereby suggests that policies to curb dropping out could have both desirable efficiency effects (high returns) as well as distributional effects (high returns to otherwise more disadvantaged groups) and potential social spillover effects.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)39 - 52
Number of pages14
JournalJournal of Labor Research
Volume31
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2010
Externally publishedYes

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