Occupational Licensing and Minority Participation in Professional Labor Markets
研究了注册会计师教育要求提高（150小时规则）对少数族裔进入该行业的影响，发现少数族裔候选人进入率下降13%，且与家庭经济状况相关，而行业质量未改善。
ABSTRACT We examine the staggered adoption of additional educational requirements (“150‐hour rule”) for Certified Public Accountants (“CPAs”) to understand the effects of occupational licensing on minority participation in professional labor markets. The 150‐hour rule increased the educational requirement for CPAs from 120 to 150 credit hours, effectively adding a fifth year of study. We find a 13% greater entry decline following the requirement's enactment for minority than nonminority CPA candidates. Our analyses of parental income and financial aid availability point to a socioeconomic status channel explaining the differential entry declines. Studying exam passing patterns, professional misconduct, and job postings we find a deterioration, or at best, no change in CPA quality following enactment.