Ability Matters: Effects of Youth Labor‐Market Opportunities on Long‐Term Labor‐Market Outcomes

Abstract

Utilizing registry data from cognitive ability tests for all Norwegian males born between 1962 and 1973, I study whether labor‐market conditions at the age of graduation have differential effects on earnings and employment for different ability groups. I find that low‐ability males are more vulnerable to local business cycles at the expected time of labor‐market entry. In particular, I demonstrate that low‐ability males suffer larger long‐term earnings losses than the rest of the population.