Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/152350 
Year of Publication: 
2015
Citation: 
[Journal:] IZA Journal of Labor Economics [ISSN:] 2193-8997 [Volume:] 4 [Publisher:] Springer [Place:] Heidelberg [Year:] 2015 [Pages:] 1-16
Publisher: 
Springer, Heidelberg
Abstract: 
This study investigates the long-term effects of peace-time military conscription on educational attainment and earnings by exploiting a policy change that exempted a complete birth cohort from military service. We find that compulsory military service decreases the proportion of Dutch university graduates by 1.5 percentage points from a baseline of 12.3 per cent. In addition, being a conscript reduces the probability of obtaining a university degree by almost four percentage points. The effect of military service on earnings is also negative and long-lasting. Approximately 18 years after military service, we still find a negative effect of 3 to 4 per cent. The effect of conscription on educational attainment does not fully explain the wage reduction.
Subjects: 
Military conscription
Long-term earnings
Human capital
University enrolment
JEL: 
H56
J31
J24
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by Logo
Document Type: 
Article

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