%0 Report %A Markussen, Simen %A Nareklishvili, Maria %A Røed, Knut %T Overeducation and Economic Mobility %D 2024 %8 2024 Feb %I Institute of Labor Economics (IZA) %C Bonn %7 IZA Discussion Paper %N 16798 %U https://www.iza.org/publications/dp16798 %X We assess the hypothesis that declining intergenerational economic mobility in Norway is attributable to a rising signaling value of education accompanied by more overeducation particularly among upperclass offspring. We identify five empirical facts that together point in this direction: • The educational earnings premium has risen, but only through the extensive (employment) margin. • The earnings premium has increased more when education is measured as years corresponding to completed degrees than when measured as time actually invested. • Both educational attainment and the labor market's skill-requirements (as predicted by the occupational distribution) have increased, but attainment has risen faster than requirements such that the incidence of overeducation has increased. • There is a steep positive social gradient in overeducation: Overeducation is more frequent and has risen faster among offspring in upper-class families. • There is a steep negative social gradient in non-employment: Non-employment is more frequent and has risen faster among offspring in lower-class families. %K returns to education %K intergenerational mobility %K overeducation %K signaling