PhD thesis,
An examination of earnings differences from attending private versus public colleges
State University of New York at Binghamton, PhD Thesis, (1989)
Abstract
The main question of this thesis is whether or not significant earnings differences exist between those who attend private versus public colleges and universities. This question is of interest given higher education's rising cost, and in particular the growing gap between the tuition of private and public colleges, (for 1970-1984 by 51.14\% for all colleges and universities and by 57.65\% for four year institutions). Given the rise in tuitions, and the increase in the public-private tuition gap, does it pay, in the form of increased earnings, to attend such increasingly costly private colleges? A model is derived for measuring earnings differences among private-public college attendees using the schooling as investment approach, (i.e.: an 'earnings function'). The data set used was the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972, Fifth Follow-up of 1986. The main empirical findings are presented including an estimated rate of return for attending private versus public college. Further, estimates have been made comparing earnings differences across Carnegie Classification categories. Rates of return were calculated for the top private research university catagory and for a handful of specific private Ivy League universities, with a comparison to a public flagship university, Qualifications of the findings are discussed.
