Institutions of Higher Education as Multi-product Firms: Economies of Scale and Scope.

Abstract

A multiple-output cost function is estimated for institutions of higher education in the United States, employing data for 1981-82. The authors flexible fixed cost quadratic function includes three outputs--undergraduate teaching, graduate teaching, and research grants--and one input price--average faculty salaries. Results indicate the existence of scope economies (at least up to a point) for both public and private institutions of higher education. Ray economies of scale are more pronounced in the private sector and product-specific economies of scale are observed only in the public sector for research and graduate teaching. Copyright 1989 by MIT Press.