Econometric study of the labor market insertion of Catalan university graduates according to the ownership of the university of origin

Abstract

The debate about whether university ownership, public or private, influences graduates' labor market outcomes has gained special relevance given the growing privatization of higher education. This study analyzes the effect of attending a public or private university on eight labor market insertion indicators among Catalan graduates. Data come from the AQU Graduate Employment Survey, a questionnaire restricted to graduates of Catalan universities, using survey waves from 2011 to 2020. We estimate a series of linear regression models with the progressive inclusion of control variables. Main results show a modest advantage for private university graduates in employment probability, job fit, and job satisfaction; however, field of study and previous labor experience, particularly internships, play a key role across most outcomes. These findings suggest that the observed private university advantage is largely attributable to differences in the composition of the student body and the distribution of fields of study, rather than to differences in institutional quality.