Wage returns to interregional mobility among Ph.D graduates: Do occupations matter?

This paper addresses the wage returns to interregional mobility among Italian Ph.D workers. We control for selection bias in both migration and occupation choice by estimating a double sample selection model. While OLS estimates indicate a positive wage premium of mobility across all types of occupations examined, wage equations estimated by correcting for double sample selection evidence a wage penalty for movers within academia, no effects for movers carrying out R&D activities but positive returns if they work within the industry sector. The selection process appears to be stronger when mobility choice is considered in comparison to the choice of occupation.