Does It Payoff To Be Blond In a Non-Blond Neighborhood? Eye Color, Hair Color, Ethnic Composition and Starting Wages

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2022

School

Social Science and Global Studies

Abstract

In this paper, I examine the impact of eye and hair color on wages at one’s first-job after completing schooling. Evidence suggests that having blond/red hair has a positive impact on wages, particularly for white people and females. Using detailed ethnic origin information collected by the Census and using tipping point analysis, I find that individuals with blond/red hair who reside in a county where ethnicities with brown/black hair/eyes constitute the majority, earn around nine percent more compared to individuals with brown/black hair residing in the same county.

Publication Title

Eastern Economic Journal

Volume

48

First Page

122

Last Page

146

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