Returns to Education by Gender in International Comparison

Abstract

This study examines the gender differences in educational returns in selected OECD countries, with particular attention to the variations of these differences at different levels of higher education. The study use cross-national data from OECD Data Explorer and World Bank to compare the relative incomes of men and women at the bachelor’s, master's & doctoral levels. Analysis shows that there are significant differences in gender gap among countries in size and direction, most countries show a positive gap for men, a few countries show higher returns for women. Furthermore, the relationship between GDP per capita and the gender gap was explored. The results shows that at the bachelor’s level, the relationship between GDP per capita and the gender gap was weak, and at the master's & doctoral level was almost non-existent. These findings shows that economic development itself cannot fully account for gender gap in educational returns, highlighting the importance of structural and institutional factors in the labor market.