# sheepskin effect

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. The theory that people who have completed an academic degree earn more income, not because of the knowledge they gained during their education, but rather because their degree indicates the possession of mental abilities and personality traits that employers are seeking.

## Etymology
Academic degrees were traditionally presented on sheepskin parchment.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/sheepskin-effect