We use data from the June 1986 Current Population Survey to investigate nativity and citizenship differences in earnings within the Mexican-origin population in the United States. There is no evidence of any “costs” of nativity or citizenship status. Rather, the existing variation appears to be more than explained by the distribution of earnings-related endowments. In fact, there is evidence that immigrants are better rewarded for their lower endowments. A possible explanation is that the Mexican-origin population is seen as homogeneous by employers, who therefore compensate individuals similarly, regardless of their respective endowments.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AlthauserR.WiglerM.1972. “Standardization and Component Analysis”. Sociological Methods and Research1: 98–134.
2.
BeanD. FrankLowellB. LindsayTaylorLowell J.1988. “Undocumented Mexican Immigrants and the Earnings of Other Workers in the United States”. Demography25 (1): 35–47.
3.
BoharaAlokDavilaAlberto. 1992. “A Reassessment of the Phenotypic Discrimination and Income Differences Among Mexican Americans”. Social Science Quarterly73: 114–119.
4.
BorjasGeorge J.1982. “The Earnings of Male Hispanic Immigrants in the United States”. Industrial and Labor Relations Review35 (3): 343–353.
5.
BorjasGeorge J.1985. “Assimilation Changes in Cohort Quality and the Earnings of Immigrants”. Journal of Labor Economics3: 463–489.
6.
BouvierLeon F.GardnerRobert W.1986. “Immigration to the U.S.: The Unfinished Story”. Population Bulletin41 (4): 15–18.
7.
BoydMonica. 1976. “Educational and Occupational Attainment by Nativity: Results of the Canadian Mobility Survey”. Unpublished manuscript.
8.
BustamenteJ. Andres. 1973. “The Historical Context of Undocumented Mexican Immigration to the U. S”. Aztlan3: 257–281.
9.
ChiswickBarry. 1977. “Sons of Immigrants: Are They at an Earnings Disadvantage”. Proceedings of the American Economic Association, pp. 376–380.
10.
ChiswickBarry. 1978. “The Effect of Americanization on the Earnings of Foreign-born Men”. Journal of Political Economy86: 897–921.
11.
ChiswickBarry. 1979. “The Economic Progress of Immigrants: Some Apparently Universal Patterns”. Pp. 359–399 in Contemporary Economic Problems, edited by FellnerW. Washington, DC:American Enterprise Institute.
12.
CottonJeremiah. 1985. “More on the ‘Cost’ of Being a Black or Mexican American Male Worker”. Social Science Quarterly66: 867–885.
13.
DodooF. Nii-Amoo. 1991a. “Minority Immigrants in the United States: Earnings Attributes and Economic Success”. Canadian Studies in Population18:42–55.
14.
DodooF. Nii-Amoo. 1991b. “Earnings Difference Among Blacks in the United States”. Social Science Research20: 93–108.
15.
DuncanGregHoffmanSaul. 1983. “A New Look at the Causes of Improved Economic Status of Black Workers”. Journal of Human Resources17: 268–282.
16.
EdmonstonBarryPasselJeffrey S.1992. “U.S. Immigration and Ethnicity in the 21st Century”. Population Today20 (10): 6–7.
17.
FarleyReynoldsAllenW.R.1987. The Color Line and the Quality of Life in America. New York: Sage.
18.
FerranteJoan. 1992. Sociology: A Global Perspective. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.
19.
GreblerL.1966. “The Naturalization of Mexican Immigrants to the United States”. International Migration Review1:17–32.
20.
HeerD.1979. “What is the Annual Net Flow of Undocumented Mexican Immigrants to the United States”. Demography16:417–423.
21.
IamsH.H.ThorntonA.1975. “Decomposition of Differences: A Cautionary Note”. Sociological Methods and Research47: 727–739.
22.
JonesF.L.KelleyJ.1984. “Decomposing Differences Between Groups: A Cautionary Note on Measuring Discrimination”. Sociological Methods and Research12:323–343.
23.
KalishSusan. 1992. “Immigration: IRCA Tops Out”. Population Today20 (11): 4.
24.
KoGilbert K.CloggClifford C.1989. “Earnings Differentials between Chinese and Whites in 1980: Subgroup Variability and Evidence of Convergence”. Social Science Research18:249–270.
25.
MasseyDouglas S.1981. “Dimensions of the New Immigration to the United States and the Prospects for Assimilation”. Annual Review of Sociology7: 57–85.
26.
PostonDudley L.Jr.RogersRichard G.CullenRuth M.1986. “Income and Occupational Attainment Patterns of Mexican Immigrants and Nonimmigrants”. Pp. 100–119 in Mexican Immigrants and Mexican Americans: An Evolving Relationship, edited by BrowningHarleyde la GarzaRodolfo. Austin, TX.
27.
TaylorA.Gwartney-GibbsPatriciaFarleyReynolds. 1986. “Changes in the Structure of Earnings Inequality by Race, Sex, and Industrial Sector, 1960–1980”. Pp. 105–138 in Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, Vol. 5, edited by RobinsonRobert V.Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.
28.
TellesEdward E.MurguiaEdward. 1990. “Phenotypic Discrimination and Income Differences among Mexican Americans”. Social Science Quarterly71 (4): 682–696.
29.
United States, Bureau of the Census. 1985. The Hispanic Population in the United States. Series P-20, No. 422. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
30.
United States, Bureau of the Census. 1990. Money Income of Households, Families and Persons in the United States. Series P-60, No. 174. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
31.
VerdugoNaomiVerdugoRichard. 1984. “Earnings Differentials Among Mexican American, Black, and White Male Workers”. Social Science Quarterly65:417–425.
