Determinants of Student Choice of Undergraduate Major Field

Cebula, Richard and Lopes, Jerry (1981): Determinants of Student Choice of Undergraduate Major Field. Published in: American Education Research Journal , Vol. 19, No. 2 (15 July 1982): pp. 303-312.

Abstract

This paper investigates the determinants of student choice of under­graduate major field. It argues that this choice depends on a variety of pecuniary and non-pecuniary factors. After allowing for the recent trends toward Accounting and Business Administration, the empirical results indicate that earnings differentials among fields and differences in the rate of change in earnings among fields are the most important factors in the student's decision.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: choice of major; earnings; earnings growth
• Subjects: D - Microeconomics > D1 - Household Behavior and Family Economics > D12 - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis; D - Microeconomics > D1 - Household Behavior and Family Economics > D14 - Household Saving; Personal Finance; J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J3 - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs > J31 - Wage Level and Structure ; Wage Differentials

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