The Earnings Returns to Graduating with Honors: Evidence from Law Graduates
Copyright policy )The Earnings Returns to Graduating with Honors: Evidence from Law Graduates
Abstract This paper aims at studying the causal effects of graduating from a university with an honors degree on subsequent earnings. While a rich body of literature has focused on estimating returns to human capital, few studies have analyzed returns at the very top of the education distribution. We highlight the importance of honors degrees for future labor market success in the context of German law graduates. Using a difference-in-differences research design combined with entropy balancing, we find that graduates of law who passed the state bar exam with an honors degree receive a significant earnings premium of about 14%. The results are robust to various sensitivity analyses.
- Institute for the Study of Labor Germany
- Universität Hamburg Germany
- Leibniz Association Germany
- Freie Universität Berlin Germany
- University of Essex United Kingdom
law graduates, returns to education, difference-in-differences, entropy balancing, law graduates, earnings, ddc:330, entropy balancing, difference-in-differences, returns to education, law graduates, earnings, J44, J01, entropy balancing, returns to education, difference-in-differences, J31, earnings, jel: jel:J31, jel: jel:J44, jel: jel:J01
law graduates, returns to education, difference-in-differences, entropy balancing, law graduates, earnings, ddc:330, entropy balancing, difference-in-differences, returns to education, law graduates, earnings, J44, J01, entropy balancing, returns to education, difference-in-differences, J31, earnings, jel: jel:J31, jel: jel:J44, jel: jel:J01
selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources.This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).67 popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.Top 1% influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).Top 10% impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.Top 10%
Citations provided by BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!