Do higher college graduation rates increase local education levels?1. (3rd October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Winters, John V.
• Is Part Of: Papers in regional science. Volume 97:Number 3(2018)
• Page Start: 617
• Page End: 638
• Publication Date: 2016-10-03
• Subjects: College graduates -- human capital -- migration -- higher education policy; Regional planning -- Periodicals; City planning -- Periodicals; Urbanization -- Periodicals; Economic geography -- Periodicals; 307.12
• DOI: 10.1111/pirs.12258
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1056-8190

Abstract

Abstract: College graduates are important for regional economies but also quite geographically mobile. This paper examines the relationship between college graduation rates among persons from a state (relative production) and the later share of college graduates for persons residing in the state (relative stock) using decennial census and American Community Survey microdata. The descriptive relationship has increased over time and is nearly proportional in recent years. Instrumental variables (IV) methods are used to estimate causal effects. The preferred IV results yield an average point estimate for the production‐stock relationship of 0.52, but the effect likely decreases with age.