英语技能在中国劳动力市场的工资溢价测算

作为人力资本的一种形式,语言能力在劳动力市场很可能有一定的经济回报。文章采用CFPS、CLDS和CGSS三套数据,检验了英语的工资回报效应。总体上,英语存在显著的"工资溢价"效应,且这种效应具有异质性。例如,年龄较大、受教育程度较高、从事管理和技术职业以及东部地区劳动者的英语经济回报率显著,同时英语能力对城市居民的影响要大于农村居民,对城市本地居民的影响要大于农民工。另外,在工资回报率上,英语的听说能力要明显大于英语的读写能力,而口语的作用又要大于听力。

The Estimation of Economic Returns to Proficiency in English in China

As a special form of human capital, language proficiency may give birth to some economic benefits. We examine economic returns to proficiency in English in China by using three nationally representative datasets-CFPS, CLDS and CGSS. We find positive earnings returns to proficiency in English. And we also find considerable heterogeneity in the economic returns to proficiency in English across age groups, coastal and inland provinces, the income distribution, levels of education and occupation. We find that the return to proficiency in English is generally higher in the coastal region, larger for higher income samples. In addition, we also see differences in the economic returns to English between urban and rural residents and between rural-urban migrants and urban locals. Finally, In terms of economic return, the ability of listening and speaking is significantly greater than that of reading and writing, while the effect of speaking is greater than that of listening.