Differences in Educational Attainment across Ethnic and Gender Groups in Taiwan

This paper investigates the differences in educational attainment across ethnic and gender groups in Taiwan, discusses the sources and contemplates the future trend of these differences. Data from the 1990 census shows that Mainlander males have the largest proportion of being college graduates and the highest number of schooling years for cohorts born in 1935-65 while Taiwanese females have the lowest educational attainment. For the cohort born in 1965, the gender difference within ethnic groups have disappeared while the difference between Mainlander and Taiwanese is decreasing but still significant. Using data from the Household Income and Expenditure Survey, probit regressions show that, for cohorts born in 1960-74, the most important determinant of entry to college is parental educational attainment. Grown up in Taipei or other urban area is the next important determinant while the importance of governmental education subsidies to public employees is diminishing. For the cohorts born between 1975 and 1989, since the gap of parental education between ethnic groups does lot shrink, and the Mainlanders are moving into urban area faster than the Taiwanese, family background variables indicate that the differences in educational attainment between ethnic groups will persist.