Full Citation

Title: The Effect of Undergraduate Major Choices on the Earnings of Sub-Saharan African Immigrant and Native-Born College Graduates

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2020

ISBN:

ISSN: 23281235

DOI: 10.1177/0569434520936886

NSFID:

PMCID:

PMID:

Abstract: A very high percentage of sub-Saharan African college-graduate immigrants in the United States have college degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines compared with native-born college graduates. This study uses a pooled cross-section (2013–2018) from the American Community Survey to compare the distribution of undergraduate majors of sub-Saharan African immigrants and native-born college graduates. We estimate ordinary least square (OLS) earnings functions that include detailed college major variables. We find that undergraduate major area of study is a significant predictor of earnings and that there is an overrepresentation of sub-Saharan African immigrants with high-paying undergraduate majors. However, after controlling for human capital differences, college-educated African immigrants have not achieved pay equity with their native-born counterparts.

Url: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0569434520936886

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Authors: Seeborg, Michael; Ikpebe, Ene

Periodical (Full): The American Economist

Issue: 2

Volume: 66

Pages: 222-240

Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Education, Labor Force and Occupational Structure, Migration and Immigration

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