Exam Reward Structure, Gender Performance Gaps, and Labor Market Outcomes

Bruna Borges, Fernanda Estevan and Louis-Philippe Morin

Journal of Labor Economics, 2026, vol. 44, issue 4, 1149 - 1184

Abstract: We analyze how higher-reward tasks affect the gender performance gap using data from a selective Brazilian university’s admission exam. Our data allow us to flexibly control for applicants’ major-choice self-selection issues and to track applicants’ labor market outcomes years later. We find that women’s performance decreases relative to men’s in higher-reward subjects because of differing exam strategies. Looking at future labor market outcomes, we find that performing well on higher-reward subjects positively relates to wages. However, our findings cast doubt on whether gender differences in prioritizing rewarding tasks in an exam environment can explain the gender wage gap.

Date: 2026
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