Persistence in economics: differences across identities and institutions

Caroline Krafft, Kristine West, Allen Bellas, Ming Chien Lo, Joy Moua, Natalie Chandler, J. Dombroski, Najma Hussein, Ayah Makled, Nayomi Her and Mollie Pierson
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Caroline Krafft: N/A
Kristine West: N/A
Allen Bellas: N/A
Ming Chien Lo: N/A
Joy Moua: N/A
Natalie Chandler: N/A
J. Dombroski: N/A
Najma Hussein: N/A
Ayah Makled: N/A
Nayomi Her: N/A
Mollie Pierson: N/A

Advances in Economics Education, 2025, vol. 4, issue 2, 92-111

Abstract: Female and minority students are underrepresented in economics. This paper uses longitudinal data to compare persistence in economics for female and male/non-binary students, as well as minority-identifying and non-minority students, along with the potential role of identity-focused institutions (women’s colleges and minority-serving institutions) in shaping persistence in economics. Plans to persist in economics diminished over time, although less so for female students than male students and less so for minority students than non-minority students. This finding is contrary to previous research and suggests that efforts to improve representation in economics should focus on recruiting more underrepresented students because it seems that those underrepresented students who are already in the major are at least as inclined to persist as their white male counterparts. Women’s colleges and MSIs did not lead to significantly different changes in overall persistence.

Keywords: Economics; Education; Gender; Race; Ethnicity; Women’s colleges; Minority-serving institutions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A20 A22 B50 D01 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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