The returns to education in Slovenia

This article provides estimates of the returns to education in Slovenia. A Mincerian earnings function was estimated on three data sets, i.e. the 1978, 1983 and 1993 Household Expenditure Survey, with the subsample consisting of households where adults were employees (in the public or private sector). The estimated rates of return for all educational levels and for both men and women were rather low in 1978 and 1983. This can be explained with a tightly regulated labour market, with direct state interference-and thus small wage differentials. In 1993, the estimated rates of return increased considerably, though they are still somewhat lower than in most developed market economies. This increase was-without doubt-caused by a more deregulated labour market and a strong push towards market liberalization. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.