Unemployment and subsequent earnings for Swedish college graduates: a study of scarring effects

Unemployment immediately upon graduation is associated with substantial and permanent future earnings losses. Even for very short unemployment spells the estimated earnings losses are statistically significant. These results are stable for the inclusion of a rich set of observable control variables, including grade point average from high school and parental educational level, and for choice of method i.e. OLS and propensity score matching. This lends some support for the interpretation that unemployment upon graduation has the causal effect of reducing future earnings prospects.Scarring; State dependence; Higher education; College-to-work

The study pace among college students before and after a student aid reform: some Swedish results

In 2001, the Swedish system of student aid for college students was substantially re-formed; the grant-share of the total aid was increased, students were allowed to earn more without a reduction in student aid, and the repayment schedule of the loans was significantly tightened. In this paper, we examine the effects of the reform on individual study efficiency, measured as the number of credit points achieved each semester. We use all program students with a first registration at a Swedish college between 1995 and 2001(before the reform) and estimate a linear regression model including individual fixed effects. There is a slightly positive and significant effect of the reform on the ag-gregate level. However, dividing the sample conditionally on the parental educational level reveals that the individual study efficiency has increased only for students from a strong academic background. In other words, the relative study efficiency has decreased for students from a weak academic background. The different results between students from different parental backgrounds appear to be related to the reallocation of time be-tween work and studies.study efficiency; time-to-graduation; university education; student aid

Stability of college rankings - A study of relative earnings estimates applying different methods and models on Swedish data

The ranking of colleges varies both across methods and model specifications. Still, earnings equations tend to be consistent with regard to which colleges that on average are found in the top and bottom half of the earnings distribution. Moreover, there are no systematic differences in the ranking of colleges dependent on the age of the college, i.e. old versus new colleges. Although ranking by earnings equations provide some information about the relation to earnings, endogeneity issues preclude any causal interpretation of the rankings presented here.University education; college chocie; ranking

The College-to-work Transition during the 1990:s. Evidence from Sweden

This paper analyzes the time it takes for Swedish college graduates to start a full-time job that lasts for six month or more. The focus is on the transition from college-to-work during the period 1991–1999. This period covers both upturns and downturns of the business cycle, providing a unique opportunity to consider the importance of the timing of graduation. The results show that the risk of unemployment and the unemployment duration have varied considerably with the business cycle, both within and between cohorts. For example, field of education is more important for the studied outcomes during recessions. Further, the relative risk of unemployment has decreased across time for individuals with the highest degree of education whereas the unemployment duration has increased, indicating that the selection into unemployment for this group may have changed over time. This is interesting, not least in the light of the rapid expansion of the higher educational system during the studied period.college graduates; work; college-to-work-transition; unemployment; education

Stability of college rankins. A study of relative earnings estimates applying different methods and models on Swedish data

The ranking of colleges varies both across methods and model specifications. Still, earnings equations tend to be consistent with regard to which colleges that on average are found in the top and bottom half of the earnings distribution. Moreover, there are no systematic differences in the ranking of colleges dependent on the age of the college, i.e. old versus new colleges. Although ranking by earnings equations provide some information about the relation to earnings, endogeneity issues preclude any causal interpretation of the rankings presented here.University education; College choice; Ranking

The importance of education for the reallocation of labor: evidence from Swedish linked employer-employee data 1986-2002

Using employer-employee data covering the whole Swedish economy over a uniquely long time period from 1986 to 2002, we examine how job flows and worker flows have been distributed both on an aggregate level and across educational levels. We find that job and worker flows vary by educational level, not only with respect to magnitude and variation, but with respect to direction as well. Our results show that analyses that do not account for the educational level of workers can be very misleading.Linked employer-employee data; job and worker flows; education

The importance of age for the reallocation of labor. Evidence from Swedish linked employer-employee data 1986-2002

Using employer-employee data covering the whole Swedish economy over a uniquely long time period from 1986 to 2002, we examine how job and worker flows have been distributed across age groups. We find that job and worker flows vary by age groups, not only with respect to magnitude and variation, but with respect to direction as well. The differences between the age groups are mainly driven by the job creation rates. Further, estimating a multinomial logistic model, we investigate the importance of age for leaving, changing or entering a new employment. Even though controlling for a number of factors, estimated age effects are substantial.Linked employer-employee data; job and worker flows; cyclicality; age

The importance of education for the reallocation of labor. Evidence from Swedish linked employer-employee data 1986-2002

Using employer-employee data covering the whole Swedish economy over a uniquely long time period from 1986 to 2002, we examine how job flows and worker flows have been distributed both on an aggregate level and across educational levels. We find that job and worker flows vary by educational level, not only with respect to magnitude and variation, but with respect to direction as well. Our results show that analyses that do not account for the educational level of workers can be very misleading.Linked employer-employee data; job and worker flows; education

Inkomstpremier av lärosäten för män och kvinnor som tog en examen under 1990-talet

Resultaten i den här studien visar att sambandet mellan lärosäte och inkomster ser mycket olika ut för kvinnor och män. För kvinnor är få lärosäten statistiskt säkerställda och resultaten är känsliga för olika modellspecifikationer. För män är flera lärosäten statistiskt säkerställda samtidigt som resultaten är stabila mellan olika specifikationer. Val av regional arbetsmarknad förklarar sambandet mellan lärosäte och inkomster för kvinnor men inte för män. Resultaten från kvantilregressioner tyder på att det finns lärosäten som har stor betydelse för inkomster i toppen av fördelningen för såväl män som kvinnor. Men det är olika lärosäten som är signifikanta för kvinnor och män. Dessutom har samma lärosäte sällan samma betydelse för kvinnors och mäns inkomster. De stora skillnaderna i resultaten mellan män och kvinnor kan vara ett tecken på att lärosätesestimaten på individnivå inte kan tolkas i termer av kvalitetsskillnader. Resultaten visar också att lärosätesestimat från mikrolöneekvationer inte lämpar sig för rangordning av lärosäten.samband lärosäten inkomster; inkomstpremier män kvinnor