Oppdragsgivers prosjektnr.:
Frisch prosjekt: 1101 - Qualifications, education, and productivity
Statistical Discrimination and the Returns to Human Capital and Credentials
Link to article:
Authors:
Brinch, Christian
Year:
1999
Reference:
Memorandum
Number in series: 36
Summary
The theory of statistical discrimination predicts lower returns to investments in human capital prior to labor market entry for minority groups if such investments are not directly observable to future employers. Lower returns lead to lower optimum levels of human capital and lower average wages for minority groups. This explanation of a persistent wage gap is extended to a model where individual investments in education lead to both higher human capital and observable credentials. The predictions about the returns to human capital and average wages carry over, and new predictions about wage distributions and the returns to credentials are derived.
JEL:
JEL: J31, J71
Project:
Oppdragsgiver: Norges forskningsrådOppdragsgivers prosjektnr.:
Frisch prosjekt: 1101 - Qualifications, education, and productivity
