Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis, with Special Reference to Education

Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis, with Special Reference to Education

by Gary S. Becker

4.4 (63)

4.4 stars from 63 reviews


$22.57Near peak price

Last checked: Jul 9, 2026

Price history: $2.99 $26.49

While not the biggest discount we've seen for this book, it's still a great deal and we recommend grabbing it before price returns to its normal range.

Price range: $2.99 $26.49

Buy on Amazon - $22.57

0 readers are tracking this book's price

Fans of these authors will like this...

  • Thomas Piketty
  • Malcolm Gladwell
  • Steven Levitt

Fans of these books will like this...

  • Freakonomics
  • Capital in the Twenty-First Century
  • Thinking, Fast and Slow

Perfect for you if...

  • You're curious about why education matters economically and want a rigorous framework for thinking about your own career choices.
  • You study economics, policy, or business and need to understand the foundational theory behind human capital theory.
  • You want to challenge the idea that people are irrational and see how economic reasoning applies to real human decisions like getting married or having children.

Maybe not for you if...

  • You're looking for a self-help book about improving yourself; this is dense academic economics, not motivation.
  • You believe applying economic logic to human relationships reduces people to numbers and find that perspective troubling.
  • You prefer narrative-driven books; this is technical analysis with data, tables, and formal arguments.

About this book

Human Capital is Becker's foundational study examining how investment in education and training functions similarly to business investments in equipment. The expanded edition includes four new chapters addressing recent developments in human capital theory, fertility and economic growth, the division of labor, economic considerations within the family, and earnings inequality. Becker applies economic analysis to human behavior across areas including discrimination, marriage, family relations, and education. The Nobel committee identified his research on human capital as his most significant contribution to economics, leading to his receipt of the 1992 Nobel Prize in Economic Science.

Get the best deal every time

We track price drops, sale patterns, and predict when this book will go on offer next.

Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

Sign up to unlock
Free$13.24$26.49May '21Sep '24Jun '25Feb '26
$2.99$26.49

Price has dropped 18 times over the last 5 years. Goes on sale roughly every 44 days. Typically stays discounted for 8 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Sign up to unlock
#62,568#636,190#1,209,811May '18Jul '25Oct '25Jul '26

Currently around #72K in the Kindle store — a steady mid-list seller. Climbing the charts — 39% improvement recently.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Sign up to unlock
3.5★4.3★5.0★Jan '24Jun '24Jan '26Feb '26May '26RatingReviews

Currently 4.4★ from 63 reviews

Review activity has been quiet recently. Rating has remained stable at 4.4 over the tracking period.

Sale Prediction

Sign up to unlock
Free$13.24$26.49May '21Sep '24Jun '25Feb '26PredictedJul '26

Actual Predicted

Based on past patterns, a price drop could happen soon. It typically goes on sale every 44 days and the last drop was 45 days ago. Typical discount: 89% off.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.

Curious how prices and deals move across the whole Kindle store? See the latest findings in The Kindle Report

Never miss a deal on this book

Create a free account to unlock full price history charts, sale predictions, and get notified instantly when the price drops.

Gary S. Becker

1 book on Vagrant Press

View all books →

More Nonfiction books you might like

View all Nonfictionbooks →

Today's Best Deals

View all deals →
Bared to You (Crossfire, Book 1)
Bared to You (Crossfire, Book 1)

by Sylvia Day

$3.99Deal
4.3 (37,968)
$1.99$9.99
Pictures of You: A Novel
Pictures of You: A Novel

by Emma Grey

$8.81$9.59Deal
4.2 (6,772)
$1.99$13.67
Meetings Suck: Turning One of the Most Loathed Elements of Business into One of the Most Valuable
Meetings Suck: Turning One of the Most Loathed Elements of Business into One of the Most Valuable

by Cameron Herold

$4.99DealHidden GemHighly rated but flying under the radar. Fewer readers have found this one yet.
4.2 (439)
$4.99$9.99
The Unseen World: A Novel
The Unseen World: A Novel

by Liz Moore

$11.99Deal
4.4 (3,736)
$1.79$16.10
Buy Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis, with Special Reference to Education on Amazon - $22.57

Affiliate link. We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.