Beyond degrees: Longer term outcomes of the Kalamazoo Promise
Open accessAbstract
We estimate the effects on workforce and location outcomes of the Kalamazoo Promise, a generous, place-based college scholarship. Drawing upon administrative unemployment insurance wage records merged with individual-level education data, we identify Promise effects by comparing eligible to ineligible graduates before and after the Promise’s initiation. We supplement this quantitative analysis with surveys and interviews. Despite earlier research showing that the Kalamazoo Promise substantially increased degree attainment, we find little evidence that the program affected average earnings within 10 years of high school graduation. However, the Kalamazoo Promise may have increased the likelihood of eligible graduates having earnings, within Michigan, in the middle of the distribution. We discuss the possible role of job availability in understanding these patterns and the implications for free-tuition college programs as a workforce development tool.
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Hershbein, McMullen, Pittelko and Timmeney (2021) find no effects of the Kalamazoo Promise on wages up to ten years after high school.
“Hershbein, McMullen, Pittelko and Timmeney (2021) use Michigan wage data to investigate labor market effects of the Kalamazoo Promise, and find no effects on wages up to ten years after high school.”
From College Costs, Financial Aid, and Student Decisions (2022) · cites this paper as Hershbein, McMullen, Pittelko and Timmeney, 2021
The Introduction reports little effect on average earnings through 10 years after high school, with estimates that are not statistically significant. But § C, “Earnings Distribution” (page unavailable), reports some statistically significant increases in the likelihood of exceeding earnings thresholds at the 7–10-year horizon. Saying the study found no effects on wages omits that qualification. (LLM, conf=0.88)
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- Authors
- Hershbein, B. J., McMullen, I., Pittelko, B., & Timmeney, B. F.
- Affiliations
- Institut für Arbeitsmarkt und Berufsforschung (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Hershbein, Brad J.
- Publisher
- W.E. Upjohn Institute
- Published
- 2021-07-15
- OpenAlex
- W3183935883
- Cited by
- 2
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2024: 1 · 2022: 1
- Type
- report
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- SSRN Electronic Journal (acceptedVersion)
- Upjohn Research (W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research) (submittedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Econstor (Econstor) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Research Studies
- Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Labor market dynamics and wage inequality
- Social Sciences › Education › School Choice and Performance
- Keywords
- Kalamazoo Promise, university scholarships, degree attainment, earnings outcomes, workforce development, job availability, high school graduates
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