Where Do STEM Graduates Stem From? The Intergenerational Transmission of Comparative Skill Advantages

Eric Hanushek, Babs Jacobs, Guido Schwerdt, Rolf Van der Velden (), Stan Vermeulen and Simon Wiederhold ()

No 31186, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: The standard economic model of occupational choice following a basic Roy model emphasizes individual selection and comparative advantage, but the sources of comparative advantage are not well understood. We employ a unique combination of Dutch survey and registry data that links math and language skills across generations and permits analysis of the intergenerational transmission of comparative skill advantages. Exploiting within-family between-subject variation in skills, we show that comparative advantages in math of parents are significantly linked to those of their children. A causal interpretation follows from a novel IV estimation that isolates variation in parent skill advantages due to their teacher and classroom peer quality. Finally, we show the strong influence of family skill transmission on children’s choices of STEM fields.

JEL-codes: I24 I26 J12 J62 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023-04
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-des, nep-eur, nep-lab, nep-ltv and nep-ure
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Working Paper: Where Do STEM Graduates Stem From? The Intergenerational Transmission of Comparative Skill Advantages (2023)
Working Paper: Where do STEM graduates stem from? The intergenerational transmission of comparative skill advantages (2023)
Working Paper: Where Do STEM Graduates Stem From? The Intergenerational Transmission of Comparative Skill Advantages (2021)
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