Making Sense of the Labor Market Height Premium: Evidence From the British Household Panel Survey

Anne Case, Christina Paxson and Mahnaz Islam

No 14007, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: We use nine waves of the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) to investigate the large labor market height premium observed in the BHPS, where each inch of height is associated with a 1.5 percent increase in wages, for both men and women. We find that half of the premium can be explained by the association between height and educational attainment among BHPS participants. Of the remaining premium, half can be explained by taller individuals selecting into higher status occupations and industries. These effects are consistent with our earlier findings that taller individuals on average have greater cognitive function, which manifests in greater educational attainment, and better labor market opportunities.

JEL-codes: I1 J3 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008-05
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-lab
Note: AG CH LS
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

Published as Case, Anne & Paxson, Christina & Islam, Mahnaz, 2009. "Making sense of the labor market height premium: Evidence from the British Household Panel Survey," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 102(3), pages 174-176, March.

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Related works:
Journal Article: Making sense of the labor market height premium: Evidence from the British Household Panel Survey (2009)
Working Paper: MAKING SENSE OF THE LABOR MARKET HEIGHT PREMIUM: EVIDENCE FROM THE BRITISH HOUSEHOLD PANEL SURVEY (2008)
Working Paper: Making Sense of the Labor Market Height Premium: Evidence from the British Household Panel Survey (2008)
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