Estimating the Value of Higher Education Financial Aid: Evidence from a Field Experiment

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of Labor Economics
Year: 2021
Volume: 39
Issue: 2
Pages: 361 - 395

Score contribution per author:

1.341 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

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

Abstract

Using data from a Canadian field experiment on financial barriers to higher education, we estimate the distribution of the value of financial aid for prospective students. We find that a considerable share of prospective students perceive significant credit constraints. Most individuals are willing to pay a sizable interest premium above the prevailing market rate for the option to take up a loan, with a median interest rate wedge equal to 6.8 percentage points for a $1,000 loan. The willingness to pay for financial aid is heterogeneous across students, with discount factors playing a key role in accounting for this variation.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:ucp:jlabec:doi:10.1086/710701
Journal Field
Labor
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-24