The Value of Postsecondary Credentials in the Labor Market: An Experimental Study

David Deming, Noam Yuchtman, Amira Abulafi, Claudia Goldin and Lawrence Katz

American Economic Review, 2016, vol. 106, issue 3, 778-806

Abstract: We study employers' perceptions of the value of postsecondary degrees using a field experiment. We randomly assign the sector and selectivity of institutions to fictitious resumes and apply to real vacancy postings for business and health jobs on a large online job board. We find that a business bachelor's degree from a for-profit online institution is 22 percent less likely to receive a callback than one from a nonselective public institution. In applications to health jobs, we find that for-profit credentials receive fewer callbacks unless the job requires an external quality indicator such as an occupational license. (JEL I23, I26, J24, J44, J63, M51)

JEL-codes: I23 I26 J24 J44 J63 M51 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
Note: DOI: 10.1257/aer.20141757
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (88)

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Related works:
Working Paper: The value of postsecondary credentials in the labor market: an experimental study (2016)
Working Paper: The Value of Postsecondary Credentials in the Labor Market: An Experimental Study (2016)
Working Paper: The Value of Postsecondary Credentials in the Labor Market: An Experimental Study (2014)
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