Returns to education based off educational quality: a study of American lawyers

Attending college is an important decision for many individuals to make and this choice has a cost associated with it, as well as the opportunity to increase one's earnings post-baccalaureate. This paper explores the returns to wages for attending college and the subsequent impact of attending an elite institution. In a sample of individuals from the After the JD, a longitudinal study in combination with previous research showing the increased labor market premium associated with attending elite educational institutions. This paper also explores the differences in earnings between individuals on a basis of educational quality, gender, and race. Additionally, it is found that there is a large income inequality shown which provides the groundwork for exploring deeper into the root cause of these policy issues.