Abstract / Description of output
Occupational credentials such as professional licenses and certifications are known to generate significant earnings premiums. Based on this, the federal workforce development policy focuses on industry-recognized occupational credentials for less-educated adults to help them obtain family-supporting jobs without having to invest in a postsecondary degree. This study used data from the 2016-2019 Current Population Survey (CPS) outgoing rotation group samples to examine differences in the earnings premiums associated with occupational credentials by gender and education. Our analyses revealed that the earnings premium of job-required credential holding was greater for women than men. For women, estimates of the earnings premiums do not vary much by education level, while for men, those without a Bachelor's degree tend to have high premiums than those without.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 20190187 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-21 |
| Number of pages | 21 |
| Journal | B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis and Policy |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Early online date | 10 Apr 2020 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jul 2020 |
Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)
- certification
- earnings premiums
- license
- middle-skilled workers
- occupational credential