Investigating the economic returns from college graduation for re-entry women

Abstract

This study investigated the economic returns from higher education for re-entry women. Re-entry women are continually concerned with whether or not returning to college and acquiring a degree will result in increased earnings. While sufficient evidence exists to show that earnings increase as years of education increase, this study concluded that this may not hold true for re-entry women. As a result of prior work experience, these women may have relatively high earnings among the occupations that do not require college degrees only to acquire entry-level positions upon completion of the college degree. There may be little or no difference between the salaries of these two work levels.

This study was directed by the major research question -- "Does the age at the time females obtain four-year degrees affect their subsequent earnings?" and used path analysis to test a model of the direct and indirect effects of age at the time the degree is received on earnings while holding constant the effects of other variables. These analyses included and accounted for labor market, human capital and socioeconomic variables, prior earnings, race, prior work experience, college major and occupation, all of which may affect earnings.

The findings did not support the null hypothesis that earnings for re-entry women will increase after the receipt of the college degree. The findings also indicated that earnings before the degree had a significant effect on earnings after the degree.