Are social inequalities being transmitted through higher education? - A propensity-score matching analysis of private versus public university graduates using machine learning models

Aug 3, 2026

This study investigates differences in employment outcomes for students graduating from private versus public universities in Spain and evaluates the resulting impact on employment outcomes. The methodology uses propensity score matching combined with machine learning approaches to estimate propensity scores. Results indicate a wage premium for private university graduates in the short and medium term, though differences remain relatively small. Findings inform implications for intergenerational inequality, policy development, and future research leveraging machine learning.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages59

Reading Time2 h 29 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Research focus and intergenerational mobility

Methodological approach: propensity score matching and machine learning

Are social inequalities being transmitted through higher education? Citation for published version (APA): Visentin, A. , & Volante, L. (2023) . Are social inequalities being transmitted through higher education? A propensity-score matching analysis of private versus public university graduates using machine learning models. UNU-MERIT. UNU-MERIT Working Papers No. 039 [https://www.merit.unu.edu/publications/wppdf/2023/wp2023-039.pdf](https://www.merit.unu.edu/publications/wppdf/2023/wp2023-039.pdf) Document status and date: Published: 13/11/2023 Document Version: Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Document license: CC BY-NC Please check the document version of this publication: • A submitted manuscript is the version of the article upon submission and before peer-review. There can be important differences between the submitted version and the official published version of record. People interested in the research are advised to contact the author for the final version of the publication, or visit the DOI to the publisher's website. • The final author version and the galley proof are versions of the publication after peer review. • The final published version features the final layout of the paper including the volume, issue and page numbers. Link to publication General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal. If the publication is distributed under the terms of Article 25fa of the Dutch Copyright Act, indicated by the “Taverne” license above, please follow below link for the End User Agreement: [www.umlib.nl/taverne-license](www.umlib.nl/taverne-license) Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us at: [repository@maastrichtuniversity.nl](repository@maastrichtuniversity.nl) providing details and we will investigate your claim. Download date: 13 Dec. 2023 \#2023-039 Are social inequalities being transmitted through higher education? A propensity-score matching analysis of private versus public university graduates using machine learning models Andrea Visentin and Louis Volante Published 13 November 2023 Maastricht Economic and social Research institute on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT) email: [info@merit.unu.edu](info@merit.unu.edu | website:)[ | website:](info@merit.unu.edu | website:) [http://www.merit.unu.edu](http://www.merit.unu.edu) Boschstraat 24, 6211 AX Maastricht, The Netherlands Tel: (31) (43) 388 44 00 UNU-MERIT Working Papers ISSN 1871-9872 Maastricht Economic and social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology UNU-MERIT | Maastricht University UNU-MERIT Working Papers intend to disseminate preliminary results of research carried out at UNU-MERIT to stimulate discussion on the issues raised. Are social inequalities being transmitted through higher education? A propensity-score matching analysis of private versus public university graduates using machine learning models Andrea Visentin (MPP) UNU-MERIT / Maastricht Graduate School of Governance 1 [andrea.visentin99@gmail.com](andrea.visentin99@gmail.com) & Louis Volante (PhD) Professor, Brock University Professorial Fellow, UNU-MERIT / Maastricht Graduate School of Governance [lvolante@brocku.ca](lvolante@brocku.ca / lvolante@maastrichtuniversity.nl)[ / ](lvolante@brocku.ca / lvolante@maastrichtuniversity.nl)[lvolante@maastrichtuniversity.nl](lvolante@bro

FAQs

What question does the study address about higher education?

It examines whether social inequalities are transmitted through higher education by comparing employment outcomes of private versus public university graduates in Spain.

How does the study estimate the comparison between private and public graduates?

It applies propensity score matching and uses machine learning models to calculate propensity scores, aiming to improve on conventional approaches.

What is the main employment-related finding?

The analysis finds a wage premium for students who attended a private university in the short and medium term, but the differences are relatively small.

Aug 3, 2026

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