Final answer:
The median starting salary for new law school graduates is influenced by factors such as major, location, and sector of employment. Data analysis, like a chi-squared test, can determine the impact of major on starting salaries. Earnings gaps are also influenced by factors such as education levels and market demand for 'stars' in various fields.
Step-by-step explanation:
The median starting salary for new law school graduates can be influenced by various factors, including the graduate's college major, the location of their first job, the sector they work in (public or private), among others.
To determine whether college majors have any effect on starting salaries after graduation, one could conduct a statistical test of independence using the data from surveys of recent graduates. For instance, a chi-squared test could be employed to see if there's a significant association between the variables of college major and starting salaries.
Various sources, such as the Wall Street Journal, provide data indicating that median salaries can differ substantially based on one's major. For example, those with philosophy majors may earn more than graduates with other majors. The "female/male earnings gap" has also been a topic of study, pointing towards the changes in salaries due to increasing levels of education among women.
Additionally, theories like the "winner-take-all" labor market concept argue that the salary disparities are driven more by global demand for "stars" in their respective fields rather than purely educational achievements, as suggested by the gap between earnings of college graduates and high school graduates according to U.S. Census data.