研究所如何發揮作用？碩士與學士科系領域及其組合對薪資的影響

Abstract

研究所應該怎麼讀才能夠帶來最具優勢的勞動市場價值？本研究以大學科系與碩士科系的領域組合，試圖分析研究所讀跨領域與勞動市場薪資報酬的關聯性。本文串接「臺灣教育長期追蹤資料庫及後續調查」的數據資料，分析最高學歷為學士或碩士且有全職工作的畢業樣本在進入勞動市場9年至12年的薪資情況，並採用線性成長模型進行分析。首先，本文發現碩士學歷有助於薪資的提升。然而，不同科系取得碩士學歷的比例存在差異，加薪幅度也因科系不同而有所不同。根據研究結果，本文建議大學就讀人文社會領域的學生攻讀碩士學歷，以利薪資的提升。其次，本文探討了碩士選擇就讀跨領域與同領域對薪資的影響。結果顯示，大多數學生會選擇繼續攻讀與大學同領域的碩士。碩士學歷能顯著提升薪資，但無論是選擇跨領域還是同領域的研究所，薪資並無顯著差異。唯一的例外是工程、製造及營造類，選擇研究所讀跨領域的薪資顯著低於同領域，這可能是因為選擇跨領域的比例較低（3.18%），讓雇主認為其人力素質較低所致。從訊號理論來看，碩士學歷對勞動市場可能是一個重要訊號，只要擁有碩士學歷，便能提高薪資。基於以上，除了大學就讀工營類的人較建議選擇攻讀同領域的研究所外，其他科系在研究所階段可以比較自由選擇鑽研的領域。從人力資本理論來看，碩士學歷提升了人力資本，因此可以提升薪資。雖然跨領域學習因其能增加學術廣度的特性被人力資本理論學家推薦為較佳的投資類型，但研究結果顯示，研究所選擇就讀跨領域並不會顯著提升薪資。最後，本文提出大學階段雙主修、輔系亦是跨領域的教育投資方式。然而，在國內尚不清楚雙主修、輔系的薪資效應下，將大學階段可能因雙主修、輔系而延畢的時間用來繼續攻讀研究所，或許是個更好的選擇。畢竟，無論研究所是否選擇繼續讀相同領域，都對進入勞動市場有助益。

How should one select a discipline in graduate education to gain the most advantageous value in the labor market? This study aims to analyze the correlation between the combination of bachelor’s and master’s degree fields and salary rewards. Utilizing data from the"Taiwan Education Panel Survey” and “Taiwan Education Panel Survey and Beyond,” the paper examines the salaries of graduates with bachelor’s or master’s degrees who have been employed full-time for 9 to 12 years, employing a hierarchical linear model (HLM) for the analysis. Firstly, this paper finds that having a master's degree contributes to salary enhancement. However, the proportion of obtaining a master's degree varies among different fields of study, and the extent of salary increase alsodiffers accordingly. Based on the research results, this paper suggests that students majoring in the humanities and social sciences during their undergraduate studies should pursue a master's degree to facilitate salary enhancement. Secondly, the paper explores the impact of choosing to pursue a master's degree in the same field versus a different field on salary. Results show that most students opt to continue their master's studies in the same field as their undergraduate major. Although a master's degree significantly boosts salary, there is no significant difference in salary between choosing an interdisciplinary or the same field for graduate studies. The only exception is the field of engineering, manufacturing, and construction, where those who choose an interdisciplinary master's degree have significantly lower salaries than those who stay in the same field. This might be because the proportion of those choosing interdisciplinary studies in this field is relatively low (3.18%), leading employers to perceive their human capital as lower. From the perspective of signal theory, a master's degree might be an important signal in the labor market, enhancing salary prospects as long as one possesses it. Therefore, apart from engineering, manufacturing, and construction students who are more advised to pursue a master's degree in the same field, students in other majors can freely choose the field of study at the graduate level. From the perspective of human capital theory, a master's degree enhances human capital, thereby increasing salary. Although interdisciplinary learning, due to its potential to increase academic breadth, is recommended by human capital theorists as a better investment type, the study results show that choosing an interdisciplinary master's degree does not significantly boost salary. Finally, this paper proposes that double majors and minors at the undergraduate level are also ways of investing in interdisciplinary education. However, given the unclear salary effects of double majors and minors in Taiwan, it might be a better choice to use the time that could be spent extending the undergraduate period for double majors and minors to pursue a graduate degree instead. After all, regardless of whether one continues in the same field for graduate studies, obtaining a master's degree benefits entry into the labor market.