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What Bryan Caplan thinks about education

@bryan-caplan · 14 positions · 0 changes of mind

Professor of economics at George Mason University and author of The Case Against Education, The Myth of the Rational Voter and Open Borders. Argues that most of what schooling buys is a signal rather than a skill. Writes at Bet On It.

Everything they publish, on ppll ↗

Bryan Caplan did not write this page.

We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.

5 dated positions, 2025, in their own words. Our reading of what Bryan Caplan has said — not written or endorsed by them.

  1. Our readingFunding education does not make a country rich; being rich is what makes a country fund education lavishly.

    Their wordsLavishly funding education doesn’t cause countries to become rich; being rich causes countries to lavishly fund education.

    ↗Educational Austerity and Progress Studiesbetonit.ai 1st of 3 in this piece

    Interesting

  3. Our readingAt the national level there is no clear evidence that more education raises living standards at all.

    Their wordsAt the national level, it’s not clear that education increases living standards at all, much less that education makes countries’ living standards increase at a faster rate.

    ↗Educational Austerity and Progress Studiesbetonit.ai 2nd of 3 in this piece

    Interesting
  4. 3 weeks earlier

  5. Our readingThe main function of education is signalling rather than building skill, so subsidising it mostly inflates credentials.

    Their wordsSince signaling, not building human capital, is the main function of education, the main effect of government subsidies is credential inflation.

    ↗Selfishly Speaking, Who Should Skip College?betonit.ai 1st of 5 in this piece

    inflationgovernment

    Interesting

  7. Our readingCollege is not a good career investment for most of the population.

    Their wordsDespite misleading statements by mainstream education economists, college attendance in particular is not a good career investment for most of the population.

    ↗Selfishly Speaking, Who Should Skip College?betonit.ai 2nd of 5 in this piece

    economists

    Interesting

  9. Our readingParents and teachers are not trustworthy judges of how intelligent a young person is.

    Their wordsDon’t base your life choices on whether parents and teachers constantly tell you that you’re “smart.” They’re not trustworthy assessors of your intelligence.

    ↗Selfishly Speaking, Who Should Skip College?betonit.ai 3rd of 5 in this piece

    Interesting