How important is girls’ ‘Biological Head Start’ in explaining gender differences in education and the labour market?

We investigate whether gender differences in physical maturity during adolescence can explain gender differences in educational and labour market performance. Using survey data with measures of physical maturity linked to register data on education and labour market outcomes, we analyse the importance of physical maturity for gender differences in both the short and long terms. The results show that gender differences in physical maturity partially explain both the gender gap in educational performance (in girls' favour) and the gender gap in labour market outcomes at age 33 (in boys' favour). Taken together, the results suggest that girls' physical head start gives them an advantage in the schooling system and that this advantage continues long into adulthood, indicating that the head start has long-lasting cumulative effects on learning.