Do Marital Status and Computer Usage Really Change the Wage Structure? Evidence from a Sample of Twins

Krashinsky, Harry A.

doi:10.2139/ssrn.234772

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Do Marital Status and Computer Usage Really Change the Wage Structure? Evidence from a Sample of Twins

Journal of Human Resources, Vol. 39, No. 3, 2004

Industrial Relations Section Working Paper No. 439

30 Pages Posted: 30 Jun 2000 Last revised: 17 Oct 2011

See all articles by Harry A. Krashinsky

Harry A. Krashinsky

University of Toronto - Centre For Industrial Relations

Date Written: June 1, 2000

Abstract

Both marital status and computer usage on the job have been found to increase earnings by as much as two additional years of schooling. If correct, these findings suggest that factors other than long-term human capital investments are key determinants of earnings. Data on identical twins are used in this paper to sweep out selection effects and examine the effect of marital status and computer usage on wages. Within-twin estimates indicate that, unlike education, job tenure and union status, neither marital status nor computer usage have a large or significant effect on wages.

Keywords: marriage, computer, wages, measurement error

JEL Classification: C13, J30

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Krashinsky, Harry A., Do Marital Status and Computer Usage Really Change the Wage Structure? Evidence from a Sample of Twins (June 1, 2000). Journal of Human Resources, Vol. 39, No. 3, 2004, Industrial Relations Section Working Paper No. 439, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=234772 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.234772