Working Paper: NBER ID: w25028
Authors: Valerie K. Bostwick; Bruce A. Weinberg
Abstract: We study the effects of peer gender composition, a proxy for female-friendliness of environment, in STEM doctoral programs on persistence and degree completion. Leveraging unique new data and quasi-random variation in gender composition across cohorts within programs, we show that women entering cohorts with no female peers are 11.9pp less likely to graduate within 6 years than their male counterparts. A 1 sd increase in the percentage of female students differentially increases the probability of on-time graduation for women by 4.6pp. These gender peer effects function primarily through changes in the probability of dropping out in the first year of a Ph.D. program and are largest in programs that are typically male-dominated.
Keywords: Gender; STEM; Doctoral Programs; Peer Effects; Persistence
JEL Codes: I23; J16; O3
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Peer gender composition (C92) | PhD completion rates for women (Y40) |
| No female peers (J16) | PhD completion rates for women (Y40) |
| Peer gender composition (C92) | Probability of dropping out during the first year (I21) |
| Peer gender composition (C92) | Supportive environment for women (J16) |