Umeå Economic Studies,
Umeå University, Department of Economics

Abstract: The spatial distribution of human capital plays a fundamental role for regional differences in economic growth and welfare. This paper examines how individual ability indicated by the grade point average (GPA), from comprehensive school, affects the probability of migration among young university graduates in Sweden. Using detailed micro data available from the Swedish population registers, the study examines two cohorts of individuals who enrol in tertiary education. The results indicate that individual abilities reflected by the GPA are strongly influential when it comes to completing a university degree and for the migration decision after graduation. Moreover, there is a positive relationship between the GPA and the choice of migrating from regions with a relatively low tax base and a relatively small share of highly educated people in the population. Analogously, individuals with a high GPA tend to stay at a higher rate in more flourishing regions.

Keywords: Bivariate probit; individual ability; migration; regional clustering; university graduates

JEL-codes: I23; J24; R23

26 pages, February 26, 2014

Full text files

DownloadAsset.action...Id=3&assetKey=ues879  

Download statistics

• Umeå University, Department of Economics
• Ordering Working Papers
• Home page for this series

Questions (including download problems) about the papers in this series should be directed to David Skog ()
Report other problems with accessing this service to Sune Karlsson ().

RePEc:hhs:umnees:0879This page generated on 2024-09-13 22:17:26.