ERIC Number: EJ1072166
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015-Sep
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0018-1560
EISSN: N/A
Economic Consequences of Horizontal Stratification in Postsecondary Education: Evidence from Urban China
Hu, Anning; Vargas, Nicholas
Higher Education: The International Journal of Higher Education Research, v70 n3 p337-358 Sep 2015
Drawing on nationwide representative data, we study the patterns of horizontal stratification of higher education in contemporary urban Chinese society, examining how college major, location, and ranking affect college graduates' occupational income and the likelihood of assuming a managerial position. The results suggest that (1) college major differentiates graduates' occupational income, with STEM and professional majors having significant economic advantages. (2) College ranking is significantly correlated with the likelihood of assuming a managerial position, implying that college ranking is an effective signal of prestige to employers in urban China. (3) A "Big City Effect" is detected as college location is significantly associated with salary levels after controlling for job location. This study adds an Eastern case to the literature on education stratification. Theoretical implications of empirical findings are also discussed.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Higher Education, Power Structure, Urban Areas, Managerial Occupations, Predictor Variables, College Graduates, Employment Potential, Majors (Students), Geographic Location, Income, STEM Education, Reputation, Institutional Characteristics, Organization, Social Stratification
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: China
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A