Earnings Functions, Rates of Return and Treatment Effects: The Mincer Equation and Beyond

James Heckman, Lance Lochner and Petra Todd

No 11544, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: This paper considers the interpretation of "Mincer rates of return." We test and reject the Mincer model. It fails to track the time series of true returns. We show how repeated cross section and panel data improves the ability of analysts to estimate the ex ante and ex post marginal rate of returns. Accounting for sequential revelation of information calls into question the validity of the internal rate of return as a tool for policy analysis. The large estimated psychic costs of schooling found in recent work helps to explain why persons do not attend school even though the financial rewards for doing so are high. We present methods for computing distributions of ex post and ex ante returns.

JEL-codes: C31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2005-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-for and nep-ltv
Note: LS
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (69)

Published as Heckman, James J. & Lochner, Lance J. & Todd, Petra E., 2006. "Earnings Functions, Rates of Return and Treatment Effects: The Mincer Equation and Beyond," Handbook of the Economics of Education, Elsevier.

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Chapter: Earnings Functions, Rates of Return and Treatment Effects: The Mincer Equation and Beyond (2006)
Working Paper: Earnings Functions, Rates of Return and Treatment Effects: The Mincer Equation and Beyond (2005)
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