Heterogeneity in the Intergenerational Transmission of Educational Attainment: Evidence from Switzerland on Natives and Second Generation Immigrants

Bauer, Philipp; Riphahn, Regina T.

doi:10.2139/ssrn.606530

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Heterogeneity in the Intergenerational Transmission of Educational Attainment: Evidence from Switzerland on Natives and Second Generation Immigrants

IZA Discussion Paper No. 1354

49 Pages Posted: 22 Oct 2004

See all articles by Philipp Bauer

Regina T. Riphahn

University of Erlangen-Nuremberg-Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen Nürnberg - Department of Economics; IZA Institute of Labor Economics; CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Date Written: October 2004

Abstract

This study applies rich data from the 2000 Swiss census to investigate the patterns of intergenerational education transmission for natives and second generation immigrants. The level of secondary schooling attained by youth aged 17 is related to their parents' educational outcomes using data on the entire Swiss population. Based on economic theories of child educational attainment we derive hypotheses regarding the patterns in intergenerational education transmission. The data yields substantial heterogeneity in intergenerational transmission across population groups. Only a small share of this heterogeneity is explained by the predictions of economic theory.

Keywords: intergenerational transmission, educational attainment, second generation immigrants

JEL Classification: I21, J61

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Bauer, Philipp and Riphahn, Regina T., Heterogeneity in the Intergenerational Transmission of Educational Attainment: Evidence from Switzerland on Natives and Second Generation Immigrants (October 2004). IZA Discussion Paper No. 1354, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=606530 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.606530