Zero Returns to Compulsory Schooling in Germany: Evidence and Interpretation

Jorn-Steffen Pischke and Till von Wachter

No 5105, CEPR Discussion Papers from C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers

Abstract: We estimate the impact of compulsory schooling on earnings using the changes in compulsory schooling laws for secondary schools in West German states during the period from 1948 to 1970. While our research design is very similar to studies for various other countries, we find very different estimates of the returns. Most estimates in the literature indicate returns in the range of 10-15%. We find no return to compulsory schooling in Germany in terms of higher wages. We investigate whether this is due to labour market institutions or the existence of the apprenticeship training system in Germany, but find no evidence for these explanations. We conjecture that the result might be due to the fact that the basic skills most relevant for the labour market are learned earlier in Germany than in other countries.

Keywords: Human capital; Returns to schooling; School leaving age; Ability bias (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I21 J24 J31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2005-06
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (62)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Zero Returns to Compulsory Schooling in Germany: Evidence and Interpretation (2008)
Working Paper: Zero returns to compulsory schooling in Germany: evidence and interpretation (2008)
Working Paper: Zero Returns to Compulsory Schooling in Germany: Evidence and Interpretation (2006)
Working Paper: Zero Returns to Compulsory Schooling in Germany: Evidence and Interpretation (2005)
Working Paper: Zero Returns to Compulsory Schooling In Germany: Evidence and Interpretation (2005)
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