Bio

Eric Bettinger is a professor in the Stanford University School of Education. He is also a research associate in the program on education at the National Bureau of Economic Research. Bettinger is the Director of the Center for Educational Policy Analysis and a Co-Director at the Lemann Center for Brazilian Education at Stanford. His research interests include economics of education; student success and completion in college; the impacts of financial aid; teacher characteristics and student success in college; effects of voucher programs on both academic and non-academic outcomes. Eric’s research focuses on using rigorous statistical methods in identifying cause-and-effect relationships in higher education. His research on simplifying financial aid applications has influenced recent efforts by the White House to simplify financial aid processes. He has served as a consultant to the White House and various state governments on financial aid policies.

Academic Appointments

Administrative Appointments

  • Professor of Education and Economics (by courtesy), Stanford University (2008 - Present)

Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations

  • Affiliate, Stanford Center for Education Policy Analysis, Lemann Center for Entrepreneurship and Educational Innovation in Brazil, Stanford Center for International Development, Center for Analysis of Postsecondary Education and Employment at Teacher’s College, Center for the Analysis for Postsecondary Readiness at Teacher’s College, CESifo (2019 - Present)
  • Affiliate, Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (2015 - Present)
  • Faculty Director, Aspen-Stanford Collaboration on Community College Leadership, Stanford University (2015 - Present)
  • Research Associate, National Bureau of Economic Research (2011 - Present)
  • Associate Professor of Education, Stanford Graduate School of Education (2008 - Present)
  • Associate Professor of Economics, Case Western Reserve (2006 - 2008)
  • Faculty Research Fellow, National Bureau of Economic Research (2003 - 2011)
  • Visiting Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Science (2002 - 2002)
  • Assistant Professor of Economics, Case Western Reserve (2000 - 2006)

Program Affiliations

  • Public Policy

Professional Education

  • Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Economics (2000)
  • B.A., Brigham Young University, Economics. Magna cum Laude, Honors (1996)

Contact

  • Academic
    ebetting@stanford.edu
    University - Faculty Department: Graduate School of Education Position: Professor

Additional Info

  • Mail Code: 3096

Links

Research Interests

  • Data Sciences
  • Economics and Education
  • Higher Education
  • International and Comparative Education

Current Research and Scholarly Interests

Bettinger, Eric and Bridget Long. “Simplification and Incentives: A Randomized Experiment to Increase College Savings."

Antonio, Anthony, Eric Bettinger, Brent Evans, Jesse Foster, and Rie Kijima. “The Effect of High School College Advisement: Evidence from a Randomized Evaluation in Texas.”

Bettinger, Eric, Michael Kremer, Maurice Kugler, and Juan Saavedra. “The Effect of Educational Vouchers in Colombia on Students’ Labor Market Outcomes.”

Bettinger, Eric, Oded Gurantz, Laura Kawano, and Bruce Sacerdote. "The Long-run Impacts of Merit Aid: Evidence from California's Cal-Grant."

Bettinger, Eric, Lindsay Fox, Susanna Loeb, and Eric Taylor, “Changing Distributions: How Online College Classes Alter Student and Professor Performance.”

2020-21 Courses

Stanford Advisees

All Publications

  • Virtual advising for high-achieving high school students ECONOMICS OF EDUCATION REVIEW Gurantz, O., Pender, M., Mabel, Z., Larson, C., Bettinger, E. 2020; 75

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.econedurev.2020.101974

    View details for Web of Science ID 000527962900015

  • Online education platforms scale college STEM instruction with equivalent learning outcomes at lower cost. Science advances Chirikov, I., Semenova, T., Maloshonok, N., Bettinger, E., Kizilcec, R. F. 2020; 6 (15): eaay5324

    Abstract

    Meeting global demand for growing the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce requires solutions for the shortage of qualified instructors. We propose and evaluate a model for scaling up affordable access to effective STEM education through national online education platforms. These platforms allow resource-constrained higher education institutions to adopt online courses produced by the country's top universities and departments. A multisite randomized controlled trial tested this model with fully online and blended instruction modalities in Russia's online education platform. We find that online and blended instruction produce similar student learning outcomes as traditional in-person instruction at substantially lower costs. Adopting this model at scale reduces faculty compensation costs that can fund increases in STEM enrollment.

    View details for DOI 10.1126/sciadv.aay5324

    View details for PubMedID 32284995

  • The Structure of Peers: The Impact of Peer Networks on Academic Achievement RESEARCH IN HIGHER EDUCATION Berthelon, M., Bettinger, E., Kruger, D. I., Montecinos-Pearce, A. 2019; 60 (7): 931–59

    View details for DOI 10.1007/s11162-018-09543-7

    View details for Web of Science ID 000487284500002

  • College Guidance for All: A Randomized Experiment in Pre-College Advising JOURNAL OF POLICY ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT Bettinger, E. P., Evans, B. J. 2019; 38 (3): 579-+

    View details for DOI 10.1002/pam.22133

    View details for Web of Science ID 000470934700004

  • The Long-Run Impacts of Financial Aid: Evidence from California's Cal Grant AMERICAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL-ECONOMIC POLICY Bettinger, E., Gurantz, O., Kawano, L., Sacerdote, B., Stevens, M. 2019; 11 (1): 64–94

    View details for DOI 10.1257/pol.20170466

    View details for Web of Science ID 000457197200003

  • Mass Instruction or Higher Learning? The Impact of College Class Size on Student Retention and Graduation EDUCATION FINANCE AND POLICY Bettinger, E. P., Long, B. 2018; 13 (1): 97–118

    View details for DOI 10.1162/edfp_a_00221

    View details for Web of Science ID 000418839700005

  • The Effect of Labor Market Information on Community College Students' Major Choice ECONOMICS OF EDUCATION REVIEW Baker, R., Bettinger, E., Jacob, B., Marinescu, I. 2018; 65: 18–30

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.econedurev.2018.05.005

    View details for Web of Science ID 000441683500002

  • Increasing perseverance in math: Evidence from a field experiment in Norway JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC BEHAVIOR & ORGANIZATION Bettinger, E., Ludvigsen, S., Rege, M., Solli, I. F., Yeager, D. 2018; 146: 1–15

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.jebo.2017.11.032

    View details for Web of Science ID 000426331300001

  • Connections Matter: How Interactive Peers Affect Students in Online College Courses JOURNAL OF POLICY ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT Bettinger, E., Liu, J., Loeb, S. 2016; 35 (4): 932-?

    View details for DOI 10.1002/pam.21932

    View details for Web of Science ID 000383668300010

  • When inputs are outputs: The case of graduate student instructors ECONOMICS OF EDUCATION REVIEW Bettinger, E. P., Long, B. T., Taylor, E. S. 2016; 52: 63-76

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.econedurev.2016.01.005

    View details for Web of Science ID 000378459600005

  • Need-Based Aid and College Persistence: The Effects of the Ohio College Opportunity Grant EDUCATIONAL EVALUATION AND POLICY ANALYSIS Bettinger, E. 2015; 37: 102S-119S

    View details for DOI 10.3102/0162373715576072

    View details for Web of Science ID 000353148000007

  • Need-based aid and college persistence: The effects of the Ohio College Opportunity Grant Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis Bettinger, E. 2015; 37 (1_suppl): 102S-119S
  • Home with Mom: The Effects of Stay-at-Home Parents on Children's Long-Run Educational Outcomes JOURNAL OF LABOR ECONOMICS Bettinger, E., Haegeland, T., Rege, M. 2014; 32 (3): 443-467

    View details for DOI 10.1086/675070

    View details for Web of Science ID 000340135100003

  • The Effects of Student Coaching: An Evaluation of a Randomized Experiment in Student Advising EDUCATIONAL EVALUATION AND POLICY ANALYSIS Bettinger, E. P., Baker, R. B. 2014; 36 (1): 3-19

    View details for Web of Science ID 000332526400001

  • The effects of student coaching: An evaluation of a randomized experiment in student advising Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis Bettinger, E. P., Baker, R. B. 2014; 36 (1): 3-19
  • Home with mom: the effects of stay-at-home parents on children’s long-run educational outcomes Journal of Labor Economics Bettinger, E., Hægeland, T., Rege, M. 2014; 32 (3): 443-467
  • Lessons learned from a data-driven college access program: The National College Advising Corps. New directions for youth development Horng, E. L., Evans, B. J., Antonio, A. L., Foster, J. D., Kalamkarian, H. S., Hurd, N. F., Bettinger, E. P. 2013; 2013 (140): 55-75

    Abstract

    This chapter discusses the collaboration between a national college access program, the National College Advising Corps (NCAC), and its research and evaluation team at Stanford University. NCAC is currently active in almost four hundred high schools and through the placement of a recent college graduate to serve as a college adviser provides necessary information and support for students who may find it difficult to navigate the complex college admission process. The advisers also conduct outreach to underclassmen in an effort to improve the school-wide college-going culture. Analyses include examination of both quantitative and qualitative data from numerous sources and partners with every level of the organization from the national office to individual high schools. The authors discuss balancing the pursuit of evaluation goals with academic scholarship. In an effort to benefit other programs seeking to form successful data-driven interventions, the authors provide explicit examples of the partnership and present several examples of how the program has benefited from the data gathered by the evaluation team.

    View details for DOI 10.1002/yd.20078

    View details for PubMedID 24474258

  • Improving College Performance and Retention the Easy Way: Unpacking the ACT Exam AMERICAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL-ECONOMIC POLICY Bettinger, E. P., Evans, B. J., Pope, D. G. 2013; 5 (2): 26-52

    View details for DOI 10.1257/pol.5.2.26

    View details for Web of Science ID 000318431900002

  • Student Supports: Developmental Education and Other Academic Programs FUTURE OF CHILDREN Bettinger, E. P., Boatman, A., Long, B. T. 2013; 23 (1): 93-115

    Abstract

    Low rates of college completion are a major problem in the United States. Less than 60 percent of students at four-year colleges graduate within six years, and at some colleges, the graduation rate is less than 10 percent. Additionally, many students enter higher education ill-prepared to comprehend college-level course material. Some estimates suggest that only one-third of high school graduates finish ready for college work; the proportion is even lower among older students. Colleges have responded to the poor preparation of incoming students by placing approximately 35 to 40 percent of entering freshmen into remedial or developmental courses, along with providing academic supports such as summer bridge programs, learning communities, academic counseling, and tutoring, as well as student supports such as financial aid and child care. Eric Bettinger, Angela Boatman, and Bridget Terry Long describe the role, costs, and impact of these college remediation and academic support programs. According to a growing body of research, the effects of remedial courses are considerably nuanced. The courses appear to help or hinder students differently by state, institution, background, and academic preparedness. The mixed findings from earlier research have raised questions ranging from whether remedial programs, on average, improve student academic outcomes to which types of programs are most effective. Administrators, practitioners, and policy makers are responding by redesigning developmental courses and searching for ways to implement effective remediation programs more broadly. In addition, recent research suggests that colleges may be placing too many students into remedial courses unnecessarily, suggesting the need for further examining the placement processes used to assign students to remedial courses. The authors expand the scope of remediation research by discussing other promising areas of academic support commonly offered by colleges, including advising, tutoring, and mentoring programs, as well as supports that target the competing responsibilities of students, namely caring for dependents and balancing employment with schoolwork. They conclude that the limited resources of institutions and equally limited funds of students make it imperative for postsecondary institutions to improve student academic supports and other services.

    View details for Web of Science ID 000318477900005

  • Improving college performance and retention the easy way: Unpacking the ACT exam American Economic Journal: Economic Policy Bettinger, E. P., Evans, B. J., Pope, D. G. 2013; 5 (2): 26-52
  • Lessons learned from a data‐driven college access program: The National College Advising Corps New directions for youth development Horng, E. L., Evans, B. J., Antonio, A. L., Foster, J. D., Kalamkarian, H. S., Hurd, N. F., Bettinger, E. P. 2013; 2013 (140): 55-75
  • The Role of Application Assistance and Information in College Decisions: Results from the H & R Block Fafsa Experiment QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS Bettinger, E. P., Long, B. T., Oreopoulos, P., Sanbonmatsu, L. 2012; 127 (3): 1205-1242

    View details for DOI 10.1093/qje/qjs017

    View details for Web of Science ID 000307835000004

  • PAYING TO LEARN: THE EFFECT OF FINANCIAL INCENTIVES ON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEST SCORES REVIEW OF ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS Bettinger, E. P. 2012; 94 (3): 686-698

    View details for Web of Science ID 000307127600006

  • The role of simplification and information: Evidence from the FAFSA experiment Quarterly Journal of Economics Bettinger, E., Long, B., Oreopoulos, P., Sanbonmatsu, L. 2012; 123 (3): 1205-1242
  • ARE EDUCATIONAL VOUCHERS ONLY REDISTRIBUTIVE? ECONOMIC JOURNAL Bettinger, E., Kremer, M., Saavedra, J. E. 2010; 120 (546): F204-F228

    View details for DOI 10.1111/j.1468-0297.2010.02374.x

    View details for Web of Science ID 000280126400003

  • DOES CHEAPER MEAN BETTER? THE IMPACT OF USING ADJUNCT INSTRUCTORS ON STUDENT OUTCOMES REVIEW OF ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS Bettinger, E. P., Long, B. T. 2010; 92 (3): 598-613

    View details for Web of Science ID 000279729000012

  • Addressing the Needs of Underprepared Students in Higher Education Does College Remediation Work? JOURNAL OF HUMAN RESOURCES Bettinger, E. P., Long, B. T. 2009; 44 (3): 736-771

    View details for Web of Science ID 000267568400005