This paper is an economic analysis of pathways through education leading to strong outcomes for Māori students, and how these differ by gender - and for students with different interests and aptitudes in high school.

The authors focus on labour market outcomes and also consider some non-labour market outcomes.

This paper will help inform policy development and career advice to both school-aged Māori students and older Māori people considering returning to education.

Key findings in the research:

• Level 2 NCEA certificate subjects do not define careers.
• Women gain more education, but men save more money.
• Bachelor’s degrees benefit women more than men.
• Vocational training yields strong outcomes for men and sometimes for women.
• Some popular fields of tertiary study for Māori yield little financial benefit.
• Not all STEM study leads to strong job prospects, but higher study in some fields is financially beneficial.
• Connection to Māori culture is valuable.
• Educational pathways to desirable outcomes for Māori may change in the future.