Using data for 638 assistant professors who joined graduate sociology departments between 1975 and 1992, I examine the claim that when the labor market for new doctorates is weak, assistant professors experience less favorable employment outcomes than when that labor market is strong. Surprisingly, I find that those hired during the weak…

New job listings show the market demand for economists between 1975 and 1984 led the supply and was far more volatile than the number of doctorates awarded. Although graduate economic specialties have remained stable and the specialists ranked by employers have been constant, they show no comparative agreement. (Author/MSE)

This article proposes that university department prestige can be measured by ability to place its doctoral recipients, as illustrated by analysis of accounting student placements. Resulting rankings of departments were evaluated for stability over time and against other program characteristics to illustrate the validity and uniqueness of the…