Participation in extracurricular activities and labor market outcomes of university graduates: evidence from Chile

Participation in extracurricular activities (ECA) during undergraduate studies is a crucial element of employability. However, there is limited knowledge about the relationship between ECA and graduates’ observable labor market outcomes. This study explores the relationship between participation in ECA and two main outcomes for Chilean university graduates: employment status and post-graduation earnings. The research draws on a 2024 survey involving 2,800 graduates from 23 Chilean universities (2019–2022 cohorts), using binary logistic regression and OLS models. Results show that graduates’ participation in ECA is positively associated with being employed. However, this association disappears when accounting for institutional factors related to system stratification and academic characteristics. Similarly, once relevant controls were considered, no significant association was found between participation in ECA and graduates’ earnings. These findings suggest that while ECA may offer some advantages for entering the labor market, their influence is largely overshadowed by structural factors such as university type, socioeconomic background, and gender.