Economic returns to schooling decisions

This paper is an attempt to determine the private internal rate of return to investment in two levels and four selected educational programs (computer science, nursing, nutrition, and social work). In these fields, a perennial uneasy situation occurs in which many bachelor's degree graduates and community college vocational degree holders perform exactly the same work and receive different salaries. The monetary benefit returns to individuals are calculated by using the cost-benefit analysis method. Results will be useful not only to public employment agencies and educational institutions, but also particularly to students who strive to acquire the most profitable level of education in the most economical way.Presented at the Nineteenth Annual Forum of the Association for Institutional Research, San Diego, California, May 1979.The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Office of Institutional Research.