Height Conditions Salary Expectations: Evidence from Large-Scale Data in China

13 Pages Posted: 28 May 2017 Last revised: 30 Dec 2017

See all articles by Xiao Yang

Xiao Yang

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC)

Jian Gao

Northwestern University - Center for Science of Science and Innovation; Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management; Northwestern University - Northwestern Institute for Complex Systems (NICO)

Jin-Hu Liu

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC)

Tao Zhou

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

Date Written: May 26, 2017

Abstract

Height premium has been revealed by extensive literature, however, evidence from China based on large-scale data remains still lacking. In this paper, we study how height conditions salary expectations by exploring a dataset covering over 140,000 Chinese job seekers. By using graphical and regression models, we find evidence in support of height premium that tall people expect a significantly higher salary in career development. In particular, regression results suggest stronger effects of height premium on female than on male, however, the gender differences decrease as the education level increases and become insignificant after holding all control variables fixed. Further, results from graphical models suggest three promising ways in helping short people: i) to accumulate more working experiences, since one year seniority can respectively make up about 3 cm and 7 cm shortness for female and male; ii) to increase the level of education, since one higher academic degree may eliminate all disadvantages that brought by shortness; iii) to target jobs in regions with a higher level of development. Our work provides a cross-culture supportive evidence of height premium and contributes two novel features to the literature: the compensation story in helping short people, and the focus on salary expectations in isolation from discrimination channels.

Keywords: Height, Salary, Expectation, Gender, China

JEL Classification: J16, J31, J71, E24

Suggested Citation

Yang, Xiao and Gao, Jian and Liu, Jin-Hu and Zhou, Tao, Height Conditions Salary Expectations: Evidence from Large-Scale Data in China (May 26, 2017). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2975503 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2975503

Xiao Yang

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC) ( email )

No.4, Section 2, North Jianshe Road
Chengdu, Chengdu
China

Jian Gao (Contact Author)

Northwestern University - Center for Science of Science and Innovation ( email )

2001 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208
United States

Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management ( email )

2001 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208
United States

Northwestern University - Northwestern Institute for Complex Systems (NICO) ( email )

Chambers Hall
600 Foster Street
Evanston, IL 60208-4057
United States

Jin-Hu Liu

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC) ( email )

No.4, Section 2, North Jianshe Road
Chengdu, Chengdu
China

Tao Zhou

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China ( email )

No.4, Section 2, North Jianshe Road
Chengdu, Chengdu
China

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
199
Abstract Views
1,546
Rank
252,348
PlumX Metrics