Stairway to heaven? The economic consequences of setting foot in college in Colombia.
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| Title: | Stairway to heaven? The economic consequences of setting foot in college in Colombia. |
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| Authors: | Herrera-Prada, Luis Omar1,2 (AUTHOR) l.herreraprada@stud.uni-goettingen.de, Martínez-Zarzoso, Inmaculada1,3 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Education Economics. Feb2026, Vol. 34 Issue 1, p29-60. 32p. |
| Subject Terms: | *College attendance, *Higher education, *Academic achievement, Wage increases, Economic impact, Income inequality, Gender wage gap |
| Geographic Terms: | Colombia |
| Abstract: | This study investigates the economic consequences of college attendance on wages, focusing on the wage increases associated with obtaining a degree, highlighting the Sheepskin Effect in a country characterized by high informality and youth unemployment as Colombia. Using administrative data for secondary school graduates (2002–2012) and a differences-in-differences framework, we estimate a 50.6% wage increase for college graduates and 68.1% premium over dropouts completing 90%-of-coursework. These findings suggest that college graduation is associated with reduced income inequality and a narrower gender wage gap, providing insights for policymakers on the benefits of promoting higher education to improve labor market outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Abstract: | This study investigates the economic consequences of college attendance on wages, focusing on the wage increases associated with obtaining a degree, highlighting the Sheepskin Effect in a country characterized by high informality and youth unemployment as Colombia. Using administrative data for secondary school graduates (2002–2012) and a differences-in-differences framework, we estimate a 50.6% wage increase for college graduates and 68.1% premium over dropouts completing 90%-of-coursework. These findings suggest that college graduation is associated with reduced income inequality and a narrower gender wage gap, providing insights for policymakers on the benefits of promoting higher education to improve labor market outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 09645292 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/09645292.2025.2452194 |
