Natural Resource Booms, Human Capital, and Earnings: Evidence from Linked Education and Employment Records
American Economic Journal: Applied Economics
vol. 15,
no. 2, April 2023
(pp. 184-217)
Abstract
Using administrative panel data on the universe of Texas public school students, I analyze how shocks to local economic conditions affect education and employment decisions. I find that high school students at the bottom of the academic ability distribution worked and earned more in response to the fracking boom and that these earnings gains persisted through ages 24–25 despite the fact that the same students also became less likely to attend classes and graduate from high school. My results suggest that the opportunity cost of education is large for these students.Citation
Kovalenko, Alina. 2023. "Natural Resource Booms, Human Capital, and Earnings: Evidence from Linked Education and Employment Records." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 15 (2): 184-217. DOI: 10.1257/app.20200762Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- H75 State and Local Government: Health; Education; Welfare; Public Pensions
- I21 Analysis of Education
- I26 Returns to Education
- J24 Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
- J31 Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
- R23 Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics: Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population; Neighborhood Characteristics
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