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EconTalk

Bryan Caplan on College, Signaling and Human Capital

Apr 7, 2014
01:02:58
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Bryan Caplan, Professor of Economics at George Mason University, challenges the belief that college students are more valuable due to technological advancements. He discusses the puzzle of low graduation rates despite increasing returns to graduating. Caplan explores the misinterpretation of graduation rates and the role of choice of major in determining earnings. He questions the necessity of spending years in college to prove one's worth as a worker and discusses the influence of government subsidies on education. Caplan argues against increasing subsidies, as the return on education is not high for marginal students.
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Quick takeaways

  • The monetary benefits of a college education primarily come from signaling rather than the knowledge learned.
  • The debate between the signaling and human capital models centers around whether education transforms individuals or simply filters out those with favorable characteristics.

Deep dives

The Return on Education is Heterogeneous

The return on education is not the same for everyone. The average college graduate earns 83% more than a high school graduate, but this figure is misleading. College graduates have many other advantages besides education, such as higher intelligence, work ethic, and conformity. The 83% figure includes the benefits of these advantages, not just the benefits of education itself.

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