<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>This study investigates the incidence of overeducation among graduate workers in 21 European Union countries and its underlying factors based on the European Labor Force Survey 2016. Although controlling for a wide range of covariates, the particular interest lies in the role of fields of study for vertical educational mismatch. The study reveals country differences in the impact of these factors. Compared to Social sciences, male graduates from, for example, Education, Health and welfare, Engineering, and ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) are less and those from Services and Natural sciences are more at risk in a clear majority of countries. These findings are robust against changes of the standard education. Moreover, some fields show gender-specific risks. We suggest that occupational closure, productivity signals and gender stereotypes answer for these cross-field and cross-country differentials. Moreover, country fixed effects point to relevant structural differences between national labor markets and between educational systems.</p></abstract>

This study investigates the incidence of overeducation among graduate workers in 21 European Union countries and its underlying factors based on the European Labor Force Survey 2016. Although controlling for a wide range of covariates, the particular interest lies in the role of fields of study for vertical educational mismatch. The study reveals country differences in the impact of these factors. Compared to Social sciences, male graduates from, for example, Education, Health and welfare, Engineering, and ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) are less and those from Services and Natural sciences are more at risk in a clear majority of countries. These findings are robust against changes of the standard education. Moreover, some fields show gender-specific risks. We suggest that occupational closure, productivity signals and gender stereotypes answer for these cross-field and cross-country differentials. Moreover, country fixed effects point to relevant structural differences between national labor markets and between educational systems.

Patterns of Overeducation in Europe: The Role of Field of Study

IZA Journal of Labor Policy

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Public License.

{"article-title":"Patterns of Overeducation in Europe: The Role of Field of Study"}

This study investigates the incidence of overeducation among graduate workers in 21 European Union countries and its underlying factors based on the European...

Patterns of Overeducation in Europe: The Role of Field of Study

Published Online: Jul 27, 2019

Page range: -

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/izajolp-2019-0003

Keywords
college major, country-specific effects, EU countries, field of study, gender, labor force survey, overeducation, realized matches, vertical mismatch

© 2019 Anja Rossen, Christina Boll, André Wolf, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Public License.

Patterns of Overeducation in Europe: The Role of Field of Study

Published Online: Jul 27, 2019

Page range: -

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/izajolp-2019-0003

Keywordscollege major, country-specific effects, EU countries, field of study, gender, labor force survey, overeducation, realized matches, vertical mismatch

© 2019 Anja Rossen, Christina Boll, André Wolf, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Public License.

Keywords
college major, country-specific effects, EU countries, field of study, gender, labor force survey, overeducation, realized matches, vertical mismatch