The Effects of Need-Based Financial Aid on Employment and Earnings: Experimental Evidence from the Fund for Wisconsin Scholars

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of Human Resources
Year: 2025
Volume: 60
Issue: 2

Authors (4)

Deven Carlson (not in RePEc) Alex Schmidt (not in RePEc) Sarah Souders (not in RePEc) Barbara Wolfe (University of Wisconsin-Madiso...)

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 4 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We experimentally estimate the effects of a need-based financial aid offer on students’ annual in-state employment and earnings up to eight years after the initial offer. For students in four-year universities, we show the aid offer to reduce employment and earnings throughout the period we study but provide evidence of increased effort on coursework during students, in-college years. We examine the role of outstate migration and reduced loan debt in generating the negative effects in students’ post-college years. We find no significant effects of the aid offer on the labor market outcomes of individuals in two-year institutions.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:uwp:jhriss:v:60:y:2025:i:2:p:327-370
Journal Field
Labor
Author Count
4
Added to Database
2026-01-29