Essays on wage inequality and human capital in Spain

by Hidalgo Pérez, Manuel Alejandro

Abstract Human Capital accumulation is crucial for explaining countries recent economic growth episodes, changes in income and wage distribution, production localization, trade, etc Thus, we consider important enhance the knowledge for the Human Capital accumulation effects on Spanish economy, characterized by intensive growth of educated workers. Then, we do three analysis. First, we decompose the wage distribution to know which factors are behind its changes since 1980. We give special attention to education effects on that wage inequality change. In our second analysis, we decompose the more educated wage premium change between changes in demand and supply of skills. Finally, our third analysis try to estimate human capital externalities for Spanish regions.