The study of economics at HBCUs and PWIs

This article’s authors use student transcript data to identify differences in the study of economics among Black students at HBCUs and PWIs. The data show that a higher fraction of Black students at HBCUs initially intend to study economics, relative to those at PWIs (4.0% vs. 1.3% of micro principles enrollees) and persist in the major (9.4% vs. 3.8%). Logit analysis suggests that (1) academically stronger Black students are less likely to persist to an economics degree at both institution types and (2) Black female students at HBCUs are as equally likely to persist to a degree in economics as their male counterparts while those at PWIs are less likely to persist. Additional research is needed to determine the causal factors responsible for these outcomes.