Differences in transition to the labour market across STEM graduates

Abstract

This study compares the transition from education to work for Norwegian graduates with a professional STEM master’s degree to that of their peers with a non-professional STEM master’s degree. We find that professional STEM graduates tend to have better labour market outcomes than other STEM graduates. However, the unemployment rate of professional STEM graduates is more sensitive to business cycle fluctuations. The findings suggest that a professional STEM degree does not protect against unemployment, in contrast to findings from studies of other professional degrees.