College Attainment, Income Inequality, and Economic Security: A Simulation Exercise

Brad Hershbein, Melissa S. Kearney and Luke W. Pardue
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Melissa S. Kearney: University of Maryland and NBER
Luke W. Pardue: University of Maryland

No 20-319, Upjohn Working Papers from W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research

Abstract: We conduct an empirical simulation exercise that gauges the plausible impact of increased rates of college attainment on a variety of measures of income inequality and economic insecurity. Using two different methodological approaches—a distributional approach and a causal parameter approach—we find that increased rates of bachelor’s and associate degree attainment would meaningfully increase economic security for lower-income individuals, reduce poverty and near-poverty, and shrink gaps between the 90th and lower percentiles of the earnings distribution. However, increases in college attainment would not significantly reduce inequality at the very top of the distribution.

Keywords: education; college attainment; income inequality; earnings distribution; economic security poverty (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I24 I26 I30 J21 J24 J31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020-01
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Journal Article: College Attainment, Income Inequality, and Economic Security: A Simulation Exercise (2020)
Working Paper: College Attainment, Income Inequality, and Economic Security: A Simulation Exercise (2020)
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