Returns to schooling and heterogeneity of educational returns in the Northeast region

Authors

  • Cicero Filipe Rocha da Silva Universidade Federal de Sergipe
  • Fernanda Esperidião Universidade Federal de Sergipe
  • José Ricardo de Santana Universidade Federal de Sergipe

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54766/rberu.v20i3.1283

Keywords:

Return to Education, Human Capital, Labor Market

Abstract

The objective of this research was to analyze the returns to education in the Northeast region of Brazil, observing the differences between its states for the year 2023. The investigation is based on the Mincerian wage equation with Heckman correction, nonlinear extensions of the Trostel model, and the application of quantile regression, using microdata from the Continuous National Household Sample Survey (PNADC). Linear and quantile models were estimated, allowing the measurement of both the average returns to education and the heterogeneity of these returns across the income distribution. The results indicate that the Northeast presents average levels of education and income lower than the national average. The estimates show that educational returns decrease after certain levels of study but are higher in the region for five and nine years of schooling. Quantile models reveal strong heterogeneity in educational returns, which are substantially higher in the upper income quantiles, indicating that education benefits workers unequally.

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Author Biographies

Cicero Filipe Rocha da Silva, Universidade Federal de Sergipe

I hold a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the Federal University of Sergipe (2022) and am currently pursuing a Master's degree in Economics in the Postgraduate Program in Economics (PPGE) at the Federal University of Sergipe. I have experience in applied economics, using quantitative methods and economic development with an emphasis on education. I work on topics such as the efficiency of public educational spending through Data Envelopment Analysis and Stochastic Production Frontier. I develop research in the area of ​​educational returns. I have experience with data analysis using the R and Python programming languages, and with practical experience and writing articles using data from the PNAD Continua (Continuous National Household Sample Survey) for labor market analysis and educational returns. I have also conducted research using SICONFI data through R for studies on the efficiency of public spending.

Fernanda Esperidião, Universidade Federal de Sergipe

She holds a degree in Economics from the State University of Londrina (1989), a master's degree in Economics from the State University of Maringá (2000), and a doctorate in Economic Development from the Federal University of Paraná (2008). She is currently a full professor in the Department of Economics. She coordinated the Academic Postgraduate Program in Economics (PPGE) at the Federal University of Sergipe from 2015 to 2018 and was head of the Department of Economics from 2019 to 2022. She is a researcher at the Laboratory of Applied Economics and Regional Development (LEADER). She was Coordinator of the Applied Social Sciences Area Committee (2019-2021) and Advisory Member of the FAPITEC/SE Advisory Board (2014-2016 and 2018-2020). She has experience in the field of Economics, with an emphasis on Economic Growth and Development, mainly working on the following topics: education, human capital, the Brazilian economy, health, and sanitation. Reviewer for Applied Economics, Economic Policy and Planning, New Economics, Brazilian Journal of Regional and Urban Studies, Northeast Economic Journal, among others.

José Ricardo de Santana, Universidade Federal de Sergipe

He holds a PhD in Business Economics from the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV/SP, 2004), a Master's degree in Economics from the Federal University of Ceará (UFC, 1995), and a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the Federal University of Sergipe (UFS, 1991). He is a full professor at the Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), affiliated with the Department of Economics (DEE), the Postgraduate Program in Economics (PPGE), and the Postgraduate Program in Intellectual Property Science (PPGPI). Researcher at the Laboratory of Applied Economics and Regional Development (LEADER). Member of the Manoel Bomfim Public Policy Research Laboratory (LMB). Has experience in the field of Economics, with an emphasis on Regional Economics, Quantitative Methods in Economics and Public Policy, mainly working on the following topics: Regional Development, Sectoral Analysis, Finance, Planning and Evaluation of Education and Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policies. He was head of the Department of Economics (DEE/UFS), vice-coordinator of the Postgraduate Program in Economics (NUPEC/UFS) and coordinator of the Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer (CINTEC/UFS). He was also president of the Foundation for Support of Research and Technological Innovation of the State of Sergipe (FAPITEC/SE) and vice-president of the National Council of State Foundations for Research Support (CONFAP). He also served as executive superintendent of the Secretariat of Education, Sports and Culture of Sergipe (SEDUC/SE) and director of institutional cooperation at the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq).

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Published

2026-08-21

How to Cite

ROCHA DA SILVA, C. F. .; ESPERIDIÃO, F.; DE SANTANA, J. R. . Returns to schooling and heterogeneity of educational returns in the Northeast region. Revista Brasileira de Estudos Regionais e Urbanos, [S. l.], v. 20, n. 3, p. 351–379, 2026. DOI: 10.54766/rberu.v20i3.1283. Disponível em: https://www.revistaaber.org.br/rberu/article/view/1283. Acesso em: 22 aug. 2026.

Issue

Vol. 20 No. 3 (2026): Revista Brasileira de Estudos Regionais e Urbanos

Section

Papers

License

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