From University to Work: Graduate Migration Across Urban Hierarchy and the Roles of Economic Opportunities and Urban Amenities

Abstract

Graduate migration plays a key role in the spatial reallocation of human capital, yet little is known about how graduate migration mechanisms differ across directions within a hierarchical urban system. Using LinkedIn resume data, this study classifies intercity graduate migration in China into upward, lateral, and downward modes and examines the economic opportunities and urban amenities associated with each migration trajectory. We show that three migration modes exhibit distinct spatial patterns, with upward migration towards first-tier and new first-tier cities dominating national flows and downward migration occurring mainly between higher- and lower-tier cities within regions. Over time, new first-tier cities have become increasingly important destinations for graduates. Empirical results indicate that graduate migration is jointly associated with economic opportunities and urban amenities in both origin and destination cities. The temporal analysis shows that wages, climatic conditions, and healthcare provision in destination cities have become increasingly important over time. Migration mechanisms also differ across the urban hierarchy: upward migration is primarily associated with destination economic opportunities, whereas downward migration is associated with both push factors from higher-tier origin cities and pull factors from improving opportunities and living conditions in lower-tier destinations. These relationships further vary across human capital groups, while talent-attraction policies are associated with shifts in graduates’ responses to destination characteristics. By extending the traditional push-pull framework to incorporate urban hierarchy, human capital heterogeneity, and institutional context, this study provides a more nuanced understanding of the factors associated with intercity graduate mobility.