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Title: Determinants of Earnings for Asian Immigrants in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area

Citation Type: Dissertation/Thesis

Publication Year: 2010

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Abstract: This thesis examines the determinants of earnings for Asian immigrants in theMidwest of the United States. It tests simultaneously three theoreticalexplanationsassimilation, human capital, and job competitionfor the earnings attainmentof three major Asian groups: Asian Indian, Vietnamese, and Chinese in the Kansas CityMetropolitan Area. Drawing from the 2000 Census 5% sample, I first examine the attributesof the three Asian groups and non-Hispanic whites to see how the possible determinants ofearnings are presented among them. I then compare average earnings across these fourgroups to identify any earnings disparities. To explore the earnings inequality betweennon-Hispanic whites and Asian immigrants, I use each of the three ethnic groupmemberships while controlling factors of the three theories to predict earnings. I finally takeivan integrated theoretical approach to understand each Asian groups earnings. The resultsshow different earnings patterns in each Asian group, indicating internal heterogeneityamong Asian immigrants. Asian Indians have the highest earnings attainment, followed bynon-Hispanic whites, then Chinese, and lastly Vietnamese. Being a Chinese or Vietnamesehas significantly negative effects on earnings. The earnings of Asian Indians can be bestexplained by the human capital and job competition theories whereas assimilation variablesare the most significant for Vietnamese immigrants. However, none of the theories shows anabsolute advantage over the others in explaining the earnings levels of Chinese immigrants.

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Authors: Liu, Jing

Institution: University of Missouri-Kansas City

Department: Economics

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Degree: Master of Arts

Publisher Location: Kansas City, MO

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Data Collections: IPUMS USA

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