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Elite university bachelor's degree salary premium for master's graduates: empirical evidence from China.

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Title: Elite university bachelor's degree salary premium for master's graduates: empirical evidence from China.
Authors: Wang, Tianjiao (AUTHOR), Jiang, Cheng (AUTHOR), Chen, Qiran (AUTHOR)
Source: Studies in Higher Education. Nov2025, Vol. 50 Issue 11, p2417-2430. 14p.
Subjects: Bachelor's degree, Master's degree, Elitism in education, Signals & signaling, Wage differentials, Human capital, Labor market
Geographic Terms: China
Abstract: The labor market's response to the signaling value of multiple qualifications (bachelor's and master's degrees) held by master's graduates influences labor market efficiency and individual decisions to invest in education. Using data from the 'Sample Survey of Chinese Higher Education Institutions' conducted in 2017 and 2019, this study analyzes whether master's graduates with bachelor's degrees from elite universities earn salary premiums. The findings indicate that bachelor's degrees from elite universities provide approximately a 12% salary premium for master's graduates, attributable to both human capital and labor market signaling mechanisms. When accounting for individual human capital differences, the salary premium is approximately 9.1%. Furthermore, the empirical results show that these premiums are statistically significant only for master's graduates from elite universities. The distribution of salary premiums exhibits a U-shaped trend, increasing from low to high salary quantiles. The signaling/screening mechanism's salary premiums rise with starting salaries, while negative signaling effects are observed at lower quantiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Studies in Higher Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Elite university bachelor's degree salary premium for master's graduates: empirical evidence from China.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wang%2C+Tianjiao%22">Wang, Tianjiao</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jiang%2C+Cheng%22">Jiang, Cheng</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chen%2C+Qiran%22">Chen, Qiran</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Studies+in+Higher+Education%22">Studies in Higher Education</searchLink>. Nov2025, Vol. 50 Issue 11, p2417-2430. 14p.
– Name: Subject
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bachelor's+degree%22">Bachelor's degree</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Master's+degree%22">Master's degree</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elitism+in+education%22">Elitism in education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Signals+%26+signaling%22">Signals & signaling</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Wage+differentials%22">Wage differentials</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Human+capital%22">Human capital</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Labor+market%22">Labor market</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China%22">China</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The labor market's response to the signaling value of multiple qualifications (bachelor's and master's degrees) held by master's graduates influences labor market efficiency and individual decisions to invest in education. Using data from the 'Sample Survey of Chinese Higher Education Institutions' conducted in 2017 and 2019, this study analyzes whether master's graduates with bachelor's degrees from elite universities earn salary premiums. The findings indicate that bachelor's degrees from elite universities provide approximately a 12% salary premium for master's graduates, attributable to both human capital and labor market signaling mechanisms. When accounting for individual human capital differences, the salary premium is approximately 9.1%. Furthermore, the empirical results show that these premiums are statistically significant only for master's graduates from elite universities. The distribution of salary premiums exhibits a U-shaped trend, increasing from low to high salary quantiles. The signaling/screening mechanism's salary premiums rise with starting salaries, while negative signaling effects are observed at lower quantiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Studies in Higher Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/03075079.2024.2415377
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 14
        StartPage: 2417
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Bachelor's degree
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Master's degree
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elitism in education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Signals & signaling
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Wage differentials
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Human capital
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Labor market
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: China
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Elite university bachelor's degree salary premium for master's graduates: empirical evidence from China.
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            NameFull: Wang, Tianjiao
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            NameFull: Jiang, Cheng
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            NameFull: Chen, Qiran
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          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 11
              Text: Nov2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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              Value: 50
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              Value: 11
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            – TitleFull: Studies in Higher Education
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