Title: Wage level and its determinants for AFDC leavers: a case study of the US state of Missouri

Authors: Sunghee Choi

Addresses: Department of International Commerce, Keimyung University, 2800 Dalgubbeoldaero, Daegu, South Korea

Abstract: The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the wage level of AFDC recipients after they had left AFDC. Consistent with previous studies, I find that the wage level of AFDC recipients in Missouri was too low to escape poverty, despite their wages having increased after AFDC. In addition, this paper examines recipients' socioeconomic characteristics as determinants of their wage level. The findings show that wage level is positively associated with higher education, living in a metro-area, positive earning experience, a smaller number of children, and the oldest age of children.

Keywords: Aid to Families with Dependent Children; socioeconomic status; SES; post-AFDC wage; AFDC length; wage levels; USA; United States; AFDC recipients; poverty; higher education; metropolitan areas; earnings; number of children; child age.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPP.2013.056579

International Journal of Public Policy, 2013 Vol.9 No.4/5/6, pp.335 - 355

Received: 09 May 2012
Accepted: 10 Feb 2013
Published online: 31 Jan 2014 *

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