Gregory Veramendi (University of London), "Field of Study and Future Fertility"
"Field of Study and Future Fertility"
(University of London)
Friday, May 1, 2026
10:00-11:30 AM
Leacock 429
±á´Ç˛őłŮ:ĚýFernando SaltielÂ
Field:Â Labor Economics
Abstract:
While field of study is a stronger predictor of fertility than education level—by age 45, 86% of women with education or health degrees have had a child compared to only 73% of women with science degrees—we know little about the causal relationship between field of study and childbearing. Using Swedish administrative data linking college applications, birth records, and labor market outcomes, we estimate causal effects of field of study on fertility by exploiting quasi-random variation at admission thresholds for oversubscribed programs, comparing individuals with similar stated preferences who scored just above or below the cutoff. We find substantial heterogeneous effects on both fertility timing and completed fertility across fields and genders—with much larger impacts on entry into parenthood than completed fertility. Our unique data allow us to observe completed fertility for many cohorts and link enrollment to occupations, revealing how effects operate through income trajectories, work hours, job flexibility, and skill requirements. These findings demonstrate that field of study shapes outcomes well beyond labor market returns, with important implications for family formation, gender inequality, and the broader determinants of declining fertility.