The surprising impact of high school math on job market outcomes

Abstract

The economic returns to education are well documented. It is also well-known that college graduates with certain majors will earn more than others and fi nd it easier to land a job. But surprisingly, the courses students take in high school also make a difference, when the courses are mathematics. Even among workers with the same level of education, those with more math have higher wages on average and are less likely to be unemployed. These fi ndings suggest that even students ending their formal education after high school can increase their future earnings by investing in more math courses while in high school.