Score contribution per author:
α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count
It is a matter of course in applied labor economics to presume that marital status is a predetermined contributor to earnings among young males. We find no evidence to support that proposition. We estimate a model of earnings determination that permits endogenous selection of marital status. Our estimates are based on a sample of young employed males from the Michigan Panel Survey of Income Dynamics. They indicate that marital status, viewed in this manner, does not significantly shift the mean earnings profile. Our sensitivity tests indicate that this conclusion is robust with respect to a variety of alternative specifications.