Is Shale Development Drilling Holes in the Human Capital Pipeline?

Dan Rickman, Hongbo Wang and John Winters

No 9647, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: Using the Synthetic Control Method (SCM) and a novel method for measuring changes in educational attainment we examine the link between educational attainment and shale oil and gas extraction for the states of Montana, North Dakota, and West Virginia. The three states examined are economically-small, relatively more rural, and have high levels of shale oil and gas reserves. They also are varied in that West Virginia is intensive in shale gas extraction, while the other two are intensive in shale oil extraction. We find significant reductions in high school and college attainment among all three states' initial residents because of the shale booms.

Keywords: shale development; synthetic control method; educational attainment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q4 R1 R2 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 30 pages
Date: 2016-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu and nep-ene
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

Published - published in: Energy Economics, 2017, 62, 283-290

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Related works:
Journal Article: Is shale development drilling holes in the human capital pipeline? (2017)
Working Paper: Is Shale Development Drilling Holes in the Human Capital Pipeline? (2015)
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