Dr Jenny Chesters and Professor Louise Watson, Faculty of Education,                     University of Canberra

Monday 19th, March 2012

 Larry Saha Room, Haydon-Allen #2175

The expansion of the higher education sector in Australia has increased diversity within university student populations as various groups of non-traditional students undertake undergraduate study. One group of non-traditional students, mature-age students, account for around one quarter of domestic university students. Drawing on human capital theory, rational choice theory and subjective expected utility theory, this paper compares the economic returns to higher education for mature-aged and younger graduates. We find that mature-aged students are more likely to reside in less-advantaged areas and to be the first person in their family to attend university but are less likely to be employed in the year before graduation, compared to younger students. However in the year after graduation, employment status and earnings do not differ significantly for graduates regardless of their age at graduation.