The editor in charge of this paper was Fabrizio Zilibotti.
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CLASS SIZE AND CLASS HETEROGENEITY
Article first published online: 8 MAY 2012
DOI: 10.1111/j.1542-4774.2012.01073.x
© 2012 by the European Economic Association
Additional Information
How to Cite
De Giorgi, G., Pellizzari, M. and Woolston, W. G. (2012), CLASS SIZE AND CLASS HETEROGENEITY. Journal of the European Economic Association, 10: 795–830. doi: 10.1111/j.1542-4774.2012.01073.x
Acknowledgments: We thank Joe Altonji, Pascaline Dupas, Caroline Hoxby, Seema Jayachandran, Ed Lazear, Aprajit Mahajan, John Pencavel, Kathryn Shaw, Chris Taber, and seminar participants at the NBER Summer Institute 2009. The usual disclaimer applies. De Giorgi is a faculty research fellow at the NBER and Pellizzari is a research fellow at IZA.
E-mail: degiorgi@stanford.edu (De Giorgi); michele.pellizzari@unibocconi.it (Pellizzari); william.woolston@stanford.edu (Woolston)
Publication History
- Issue published online: 13 JUL 2012
- Article first published online: 8 MAY 2012
Keywords:
- A22;
- I23;
- J30)
Abstract
We study how class size and class composition affect the academic and labor market performance of college students, two crucial policy questions given the secular increase in college enrollment. Our identification strategy relies on the random assignment of students to teaching classes. We find that a one standard deviation increase in class-size results in a 0.1 standard deviation deterioration of the average grade. Further, the effect is heterogeneous as it is stronger for males and lower income students. Also, the effects of class composition in terms of gender and ability appear to be inverse U-shaped. Finally, a reduction of 20 students (one standard deviation) in one’s class size has a positive effect on monthly wages of about €80 ($115) or 6% over the average.