Women Graduates of Elite Schools Are Less Likely to Work Than Other Women College Graduates

A study by Joni Hersch, a professor of law at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, finds that women graduates of top-tier colleges and universities tend to work fewer hours than women who graduated from less selective institutions. Professor Hersch’s research finds that 60 percent of female graduates from elite colleges are working full time compared to 68 percent of women from other schools. She found that women with children tended to work less but the working gap for women with children is largest among graduates of top-tier educational institutions.

“Even though elite graduates are more likely to earn advanced degrees, marry at later ages and have higher expected earnings, they are still opting out of full-time work at much higher rates than other graduates, especially if they have children,” said Professor Hersch.

Professor Hersch is a graduate of the University of South Florida in Tampa. She earned a Ph.D. in economics at Northwestern University.

Professor Hersch’s paper may be downloaded here.