Fighting for Education: Financial Aid and Degree Attainment

Barr, Andrew

doi:10.1086/700191

Cited by 41Higher Education Research StudiesEducation and Military IntegrationSchool Choice and Performance

Fighting for Education: Financial Aid and Degree Attainment

Barr, Andrew·2019·Journal of Labor Economics

DOI 10.1086/700191

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Abstract

The Post-9/11 GI Bill brought about the largest expansion in veteran education benefits since the end of World War II, increasing annual benefit expenditures from $3 billion to more than $13 billion. Leveraging variation over time, geography, and type of veterans, I explore the effect of financial aid on degree attainment. I find that the aid expansion increased degree attainment by 5–6 percentage points (25%), roughly 0.4 percentage points per $1,000 of additional maximum aid. These findings indicate that financial aid can increase degree attainment, even for individuals with high levels of initial support.

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The Post-9/11 benefit expansion increased degree completion by about 0.4 percentage points per $1000 in additional benefits.
“he finds degree completion increases about 0.4 percentage points per $1000 in additional benefits.”
From College Costs, Financial Aid, and Student Decisions (2022) · cites this paper as Barr (2019)

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Authors: Barr, A.
Affiliations: Texas A&M University (US)
Corresponding author: Barr, Andrew
Venue: Journal of Labor Economics
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Published: 2019-04
Volume: 37
Issue: 2
Pages: 509-544
ISSN: 0734-306X (ISSN-L)
1537-5307
DOI: 10.1086/700191
OpenAlex: W2887181147
Cited by: 40
References: 28
Citations by year: 2026: 1 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 3 · 2016: 1
FWCI: 12.97
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Journal of Labor Economics (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Research Studies
Social Sciences › Education › Education and Military Integration
Social Sciences › Education › School Choice and Performance
Keywords: Post-9/11 GI Bill, financial aid, degree attainment, higher education, military veterans, education policy

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Fighting for Education: Financial Aid and Degree Attainment

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