Full Citation

Title: The Effect of College Major on Labor Market Outcomes of Chinese Immigrants: An Examination of Undergraduate Major Choices and Their Impact on Employment and Earnings

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2013

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Abstract: This study targets Chinese immigrants in the U.S with a college degree. The choice of a college major for Chinese immigrants is compared to that of other groups, specifically, Japanese immigrants and Korean immigrants, as well as native born non-Hispanic Whites. The study specifically focuses on how the choice of major affects employment opportunities and pay. The three main research questions are stated below:Question 1: Are there certain majors most frequently chosen by Chinese immigrants? Are they different from other groups choices?Question 2: Which majors that Chinese immigrants have had, have lead to a better chance of being employed? Do those majors correspond to the most popular ones?Question 3: Which majors that Chinese immigrants have had, have yielded a higher monetary return? Are those majors the most popular ones? How does the pay level for Chinese immigrants compare to pay level for non-Hispanic Whites and the other Asian immigrants who graduated with the same major?According to the blocked opportunity theory and the assumption of ability preference, I hypothesize that science related majors are most frequently chosen by Chinese immigrants, and that these majors yield a higher probability of being employed and a higher wage rate for Chinese immigrants than other majors. The level of wage differential for individuals from China than from other groups under the same college major is yet unknown.

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Authors: Yang, Guanyi

Periodical (Full): Undergraduate Economic Review

Issue: 1

Volume: 9

Pages: 1-34

Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Labor Force and Occupational Structure, Migration and Immigration

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