Marriage and wages: A test of the specialization hypothesis

Elena Bardasi, Mark Taylor

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    56 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    We investigate the relationship between marriage and wages among men in Britain using panel data. Our econometric specifications allow for observed and unobserved heterogeneity and explicitly test the role of intra-household specialization in explaining the observed relationship. Our estimates provide evidence for the existence of large selection effects into marriage based on observable and unobservable characteristics that are positively correlated with wages. After accounting for individual-specific time-invariant effects and a wide range of individual, household, job and employer related characteristics, we find a statistically significant premium that can be attributed to productivity differences largely resulting from intra-household specialization.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)569-591
    Number of pages23
    JournalEconomica
    Volume75
    Issue number299
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Aug 2008

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