STEM项目对学业准备不足学生的回报
The Returns to STEM Programs for Less-Prepared Students
American Economic Journal: Economic Policy · 2024 · [{"name": "Kevin Ng", "affiliation": ["California Native Plant Society", "Center for Naval Analyses"]}, {"name": "Evan Riehl", "affiliation": ["Cornell University"]}]
中文摘要
选择性STEM项目的回报取决于学生是否完成这些项目、完成条件下的收入，以及反事实的学校选择。以往大量研究仅关注这些边际中的某一个，可能导致对学业准备不足学生STEM教育回报的认识不完整。利用一所哥伦比亚大学的数据和两种实证策略，我们发现，尽管学业准备不足的学生完成这些项目的可能性更低，但其从选择性STEM项目中获得的收入回报却高于学业准备更充分的学生。一个关键机制是，学业准备不足的学生所面临的反事实学校选择薪酬更低。(JEL I23, I26, J24, J31, O15)
Abstract
The returns to selective STEM programs depend on whether students complete these programs, earnings conditional on completion, and counterfactual schooling choices. Much research has focused on only one of these margins, potentially leading to an incomplete picture of the returns to STEM education for students with less academic preparation. Using data from a Colombian university and two empirical strategies, we find less-prepared students have higher earnings returns to selective STEM programs than more-prepared students, even though they are less likely to complete these programs. A key mechanism is that less-prepared students have lower-paying counterfactual schooling options. (JEL I23, I26, J24, J31, O15)