The Economic Return to School Quality: A Partial Survey

David Card and Alan Krueger

No 713, Working Papers from Princeton University, Department of Economics, Industrial Relations Section.

Abstract: We present a survey of the literature on the economic returns to school quality. A dozen studies conducted over the past 20 years show remarkably consistent estimates of the effect of school quality on students' subsequent earnings. A 10 percent increase in school spending is associated with 1 to 2 percent higher annual earnings for students later in life. We argue that the similarity of the findings across data sources and research methods suggests that school quality has a true causal effect on student earnings. Increases in school resources are also associated with significantly higher educational attainment, although the range of estimates of the effect is relatively wide.

Keywords: school quality; student achievement; earnings (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A30 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 1994-10
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (32)

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