This paper:

• summarises the evidence from literature, about the employment and earning benefits of education for different ethnic groups;
• explores what factors affect the employment and pay benefits (returns) for people from different ethnic groups who achieve the same qualification level, and shows that there are different attainment outcomes for different ethnic groups at every stage of the education system; and
• explores the significance of minority ethnicity in the type of higher education or training attended, attainment in higher education and, therefore, in labour market outcomes and earning capacity.