Reconciling Gender Differences in the Returns to Education in Self-Employment: Does Occupation Matter?

Abstract:

Compared to self-employed men, self-employed women have more education but considerably lower earnings, generating differences in the returns to education by gender. This paper finds evidence that men typically benefit from a complementary relationship between education and earnings. However, women are heterogenous in their returns to education. Women who self-employ in traditionally female occupations do not benefit from this complementary relationship, and women who self-employ in traditionally male occupations earn returns that are more similar to the male experience.

Source:  The Journal of Socio-Economics
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socec.2013.02.022