A Public University or a Private University: What Effect does this Choice have on the Professional Success of Graduates in Spain

Abstract

The increasing range of courses at private universities is one of the most important and contrasted trends in contemporary higher education. Given that the cost of training at a private university is higher than that at a public one, it seems interesting to assess the return of such a great financial effort. This research assesses the return obtained from studying at a private university versus a public one in Spain by objectively measuring professional success. The outcomes indicate that the return is null, as the fact of studying at a private university does not comparatively affect either wages or the social occupational class. On the contrary, a short-term positive effect is observed in terms of the increasing likelihood of finding a job in the short-term, irrelevant though.