Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/104660 
Year of Publication: 
2014
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 8575
Publisher: 
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
This paper examines the effects of foreign- and native-born STEM graduates and non-STEM graduates on patent intensity in U.S. metropolitan areas. I find that both native and foreign-born STEM graduates significantly increase metropolitan area patent intensity, but college graduates in non-STEM fields have a smaller and statistically insignificant effect on patenting. These findings hold for both cross-sectional OLS and 2SLS regressions. I also use time-differenced 2SLS regressions to estimate the effects of STEM-driven increases in native and foreign college graduate shares and again find that both native and foreign STEM graduates have statistically significant and economically large effects on innovation. Together these results suggest that policies that increase the stocks of both foreign and native STEM graduates increase innovation and provide considerable economic benefits to regions and nations.
Subjects: 
STEM
innovation
patents
human capital
higher education
JEL: 
I25
J24
J61
O31
R12
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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