@TechReport{iza:izadps:dp1437, author={Cunha, Flavio and Heckman, James J. and Navarro, Salvador}, title={Separating Uncertainty from Heterogeneity in Life Cycle Earnings}, year={2004}, month={Dec}, institution={Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)}, address={Bonn}, type={IZA Discussion Paper}, number={1437}, url={https://www.iza.org/publications/dp1437}, abstract={This paper develops and applies a method for decomposing cross section variability of earnings into components that are forecastable at the time students decide to go to college (heterogeneity) and components that are unforecastable. About 60% of variability in returns to schooling is forecastable. This has important implications for using measured variability to price risk and predict college attendance.}, keywords={counterfactuals;uncertainty;lifecycle earnings;schooling;heterogeneity}, }