Hybrid or Hands-On? Students’ Economic Preferences over Study Design and Labor-Market Payoffs

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We study how university students trade off the design and demands of study against expected labor-market returns.We conducted a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) with students of the Economics Department at the University of Warsaw.Choice alternatives varied the share of in-person teaching, weekly class hours, weekly preparation time, language mix (Polish vs. English), net monthly study cost (tuition minus stipends), and expected net salary after graduation.The DCE was embedded in a broader survey measuring study experience, time use, work during studies, scheduling preferences, and perceptions of quality and reputation.The instrument and framings follow state-of-the-art DCE guidance and are publicly documentable.Using multinomial logit and mixed logit models, we estimate compensating differentials students require to accept (i) more online teaching, (ii) more weekly effort (classes/prep), or (iii) English-medium instruction in Polish-language curricula.The results show large, precise utility gains from higher expected salary, disutility from higher weekly preparation time, and strong (non-linear) preferences over delivery mode and language.We then simulate policy scenarios (e.g., introducing 50% online, adjusting effort) and quantify the cost-equivalent or salary-equivalent levers needed to maintain program attractiveness.We position our results in the international literature on DCEs in higher education and discuss external validity with respect to a large national DCE that emphasized earnings over prestige.We conclude with program design implications for universities worldwide navigating hybridization, workload calibration, and language policy in light of students' revealed economic preferences.

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