Ulf Zolitz (IZA)

Abstract
Does the gender of university instructors affect students’ achievements, preferences over courses and labor market outcomes? This paper exploits random student assignment and finds that female instructors increase females’ performance and probability to take follow-up courses in the same subject. While a higher overall proportion of female instructors in compulsory
first year courses reduces females’ probability to choose quantitative specializations, female instructors in math/statistics increase females’ interest in quantitative courses. In the longer-run instructor gender contributes to explaining females’ occupational sorting in the labor market beyond university education. Women who experienced more female instructors work
in occupations with a higher proportion of women.