Was It All Worth It? On the Value of Tertiary Education for Generation ’77 in Poland Cover Image

Was It All Worth It? On the Value of Tertiary Education for Generation ’77 in Poland
Was It All Worth It? On the Value of Tertiary Education for Generation ’77 in Poland

Author(s): Leszek Wincenciak
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Economy, Education
Published by: Uniwersytet Warszawski - Wydział Nauk Ekonomicznych
Keywords: returns to education; net present value of education; internal rate of return;Poland and the world

Summary/Abstract: This research paper aims at estimating the value of tertiary education in Poland for men and women over the life cycle using specific dataset of Labor Force Surveys for generation born in 1977. Regression-adjusted counterfactual wages are estimated using Heckman selection models as proxy of the alternative costs of studying and a special Discrete Choice Experiment is designed to evaluate the value of time devoted for studying as a proxy of effort required to complete the studies. Results suggest that the net present value of tertiary education is lower for men than women in the short horizon of professional career. In the long run however both net present values nearly equalize. The surprising effect is that the internal rate of return appears to be slightly higher for women.

  • Issue Year: 2015
  • Issue No: 42
  • Page Range: 13-40
  • Page Count: 28
  • Language: English