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This study examines the changes in the school-to-work transition of young adults in the United States over the latter part of the twentieth century. Their transition is portrayed using data from National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women, Young Men, and Youth 1979. In general, we find that indicators of educational attainment, working while in school and non-school related work increased across cohorts for almost all racial/ethnic and gender groups. This was especially true for young women. Furthermore, various indicators of personal and family backgrounds changed in ways consistent with an improvement across cohorts in the preparation of young men and women for their attainment of schooling and work experience and their success in the labor market. The one exception to this general picture of improvement across cohorts was Hispanic men, who experienced a notable decline in educational attainment and in a variety of personal and family background characteristics. With respect to hourly wage rates, we find that wages over the ages 16 through 27 declined across cohorts. However, the rate of growth of wages with age, particularly over adult ages, increased across cohorts, except Hispanic men. Our findings highlight the need for accounting for the endogeneity and selectivity of early skill acquisition.

Published abstract reprinted from ‘Economics of education review’, copyright 2006, with permission from Elsevier. Show less

We show that the narrowing gender gap and the growth in earnings inequality are consistent with a simple model in which skills are hetereogeneous, and the growth in skill prices has been particularly strong for skills with which women are well endowed. Empirical analysis of [dictionary of occupational titles] DOT, [current population survey] CPS, and [national longitudinal survey of youth 1979] NLSY79 data finds evidence to support this model. A large increase in the prices of cognitive and people skills - skills with which women are well endowed - and a decline in the price of motor skills account for up to 40 per cent of the rising inequality and 20 per cent of the narrowing gender gap.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less