When experience doesn’t pay: Inequality in big-city careers
Larger cities provide more career-long learning opportunities but also amplify racial wage inequality over time. White workers gain more from experience-based advantages than Black and Latinx workers, highlighting the need for fair access to education, high-paying jobs, and equal rewards for experience according to new research from Michael Storper.
Commenting on the new research, Michael says: "Big cities offer higher wages and more career opportunities, especially for skilled workers - an "experience" ladder. But in our research on the USA, we find Black and Latinx people don’t get rewarded for experience as much as White people, leading to huge lifetime income gaps. While the right education and occupation are necessary for success, they are not enough for equity. Our ongoing research will identify why big-city labor markets have this discriminatory effect."
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