Do the labour market returns to university degrees differ between high and low achieving youth? Evidence from Australia

Journal for Labour Market Research

Table 8 Bivariate correlations of independent and dependent variables

	Male	ESCS	Test score	Year 12	VET cert. III/IV	VET dipl	Degree	Prop. FT Empl	Prop unem	Years	SEI	Hour earn	Week earn	Emp	Unemp
Parents’ ESCS (std.)	0.01
PISA test score (std.)	− 0.03	0.41
Year 12 completion	− 0.05	0.11	0.21
VET certificate III or IV	− 0.02	− 0.06	− 0.09	0.06
VET diploma	− 0.02	0.00	− 0.06	0.11	− 0.06
University degree	− 0.07	0.11	0.18	0.23	− 0.10	− 0.07
Prop. yrs. FT employed	0.18	− 0.11	− 0.18	0.02	0.29	0.08	0.02
Prop. yrs. unemp. spells	0.01	− 0.08	− 0.15	− 0.02	0.01	0.01	− 0.03	− 0.12
Years since 2003	− 0.01	0.00	− 0.00	0.48	0.29	0.20	0.44	0.47	0.04
Occupational status (SEI)	− 0.07	0.12	0.18	0.33	0.07	0.11	0.51	0.17	− 0.00	0.57
Hourly earnings (log)	0.05	0.05	0.06	0.25	0.17	0.12	0.29	0.27	0.01	0.61	0.46
Weekly earnings (log)	0.14	− 0.06	− 0.10	0.22	0.22	0.12	0.27	0.62	0.05	0.66	0.46	0.71
Employed	− 0.01	0.03	0.02	0.18	0.10	0.07	0.12	0.34	− 0.21	0.29	^a	^a	^a
Unemployed	0.01	− 0.05	− 0.08	− 0.01	− 0.02	− 0.01	− 0.04	− 0.14	0.39	− 0.04	^b	^b	^b	− 0.47
Employed full-time	0.13	− 0.07	− 0.11	0.14	0.19	0.09	0.19	0.79	− 0.08	0.46	0.32	0.25	0.70	0.42	− 0.19

Weighted person-year data. Employed is of all non-full-time students. Unemployed is of labour force participants. Employed full-time is of employed
^aNot applicable because contrast group includes respondents not employed
^bNot applicable because includes respondents not employed