
Eric Bettinger
Professor of Education, Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research and Professor, by courtesy, of Economics at the Graduate School of Business
Graduate School of Education
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
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Professor, Graduate School of Education
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Senior Fellow, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR)
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Professor (By courtesy), Economics
Administrative Appointments
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Professor of Education and Economics (by courtesy), Stanford University (2008 - Present)
Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations
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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)
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Affiliate, Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (2015 - Present)
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Faculty Director, Aspen-Stanford Collaboration on Community College Leadership, Stanford University (2015 - Present)
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Research Associate, National Bureau of Economic Research (2011 - Present)
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Associate Professor of Education, Stanford Graduate School of Education (2008 - Present)
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Associate Professor of Economics, Case Western Reserve (2006 - 2008)
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Faculty Research Fellow, National Bureau of Economic Research (2003 - 2011)
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Visiting Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Science (2002 - 2002)
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Assistant Professor of Economics, Case Western Reserve (2000 - 2006)
Professional Education
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Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Economics (2000)
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B.A., Brigham Young University, Economics. Magna cum Laude, Honors (1996)
Research Interests
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Data Sciences
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Economics and Education
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Higher Education
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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
- Economic Policy Analysis for Policymakers
PUBLPOL 301B (Spr) - Experimental Research Design and Analysis
EDUC 430A (Aut) - Statistical Analysis in Education: Regression
EDUC 400B (Win) - Topics in Brazilian Education: Public Policy and Innovation for the 21st Century
EDUC 404 (Aut) -
Independent Studies (13)
- Directed Reading
ECON 139D (Aut, Spr) - Directed Reading
EDUC 480 (Aut, Win, Spr) - Directed Reading in Education
EDUC 180 (Aut, Win, Spr) - Directed Research
EDUC 490 (Aut, Win, Spr) - Directed Research in Education
EDUC 190 (Aut, Win, Spr) - Honors Research
EDUC 140 (Aut, Win) - Honors Thesis Research
ECON 199D (Aut, Win, Spr) - Individual Research
GSBGEN 390 (Win) - Master's Thesis
EDUC 185 (Aut, Win) - Practical Training
ECON 299 (Sum) - Practicum
EDUC 470 (Aut) - Senior Honors Thesis
URBANST 199 (Win) - Supervised Internship
EDUC 380 (Aut)
- Directed Reading
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Prior Year Courses
2019-20 Courses
- Advanced Topics in Quantitative Policy Analysis
EDUC 339 (Win) - Economic Policy Analysis for Policymakers
INTLPOL 204B, PUBLPOL 301B (Spr) - Experimental Research Design and Analysis
EDUC 430A (Aut) - Statistical Analysis in Education: Regression
EDUC 400B (Win) - The Economics of Higher Education
EDUC 347 (Win) - The Economics of Higher Education
GSBGEN 348 (Win) - Topics in Brazilian Education: Public Policy and Innovation for the 21st Century
EDUC 404 (Aut)
2018-19 Courses
- Economic Policy Analysis for Policymakers
INTLPOL 204B, PUBLPOL 301B (Spr) - Experimental Research Design and Analysis
EDUC 430A (Aut) - Statistical Analysis in Education: Regression
EDUC 400B (Win) - The Economics of Higher Education
EDUC 347 (Win) - The Economics of Higher Education
GSBGEN 348 (Win) - Topics in Brazilian Education: Public Policy and Innovation for the 21st Century
EDUC 404 (Aut)
2017-18 Courses
- Experimental Research Designs in Educational Research
EDUC 430A (Aut) - Statistical Analysis in Education: Regression
EDUC 400B (Win) - The Economics of Higher Education
EDUC 347 (Win) - The Economics of Higher Education
GSBGEN 348 (Win) - Topics in Brazilian Education: Public Policy and Innovation for the 21st Century
EDUC 404 (Aut)
- Advanced Topics in Quantitative Policy Analysis
Stanford Advisees
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Doctoral Dissertation Reader (AC)
Paulina Biernacki, David Lang, Ana Saavedra -
Doctoral Dissertation Advisor (AC)
Zhaolei Shi -
Doctoral (Program)
Ryan Brennan, Madison Dell, Lavar Edmonds, Lief Esbenshade, Elizabeth Huffaker, David Lang, David Song, Ana Trindade Ribeiro
All Publications
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Virtual advising for high-achieving high school students
ECONOMICS OF EDUCATION REVIEW
2020; 75
View details for DOI 10.1016/j.econedurev.2020.101974
View details for Web of Science ID 000527962900015
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Online education platforms scale college STEM instruction with equivalent learning outcomes at lower cost.
Science advances
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
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The Structure of Peers: The Impact of Peer Networks on Academic Achievement
RESEARCH IN HIGHER EDUCATION
2019; 60 (7): 931–59
View details for DOI 10.1007/s11162-018-09543-7
View details for Web of Science ID 000487284500002
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College Guidance for All: A Randomized Experiment in Pre-College Advising
JOURNAL OF POLICY ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT
2019; 38 (3): 579-+
View details for DOI 10.1002/pam.22133
View details for Web of Science ID 000470934700004
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The Long-Run Impacts of Financial Aid: Evidence from California's Cal Grant
AMERICAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL-ECONOMIC POLICY
2019; 11 (1): 64–94
View details for DOI 10.1257/pol.20170466
View details for Web of Science ID 000457197200003
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Mass Instruction or Higher Learning? The Impact of College Class Size on Student Retention and Graduation
EDUCATION FINANCE AND POLICY
2018; 13 (1): 97–118
View details for DOI 10.1162/edfp_a_00221
View details for Web of Science ID 000418839700005
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The Effect of Labor Market Information on Community College Students' Major Choice
ECONOMICS OF EDUCATION REVIEW
2018; 65: 18–30
View details for DOI 10.1016/j.econedurev.2018.05.005
View details for Web of Science ID 000441683500002
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Increasing perseverance in math: Evidence from a field experiment in Norway
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC BEHAVIOR & ORGANIZATION
2018; 146: 1–15
View details for DOI 10.1016/j.jebo.2017.11.032
View details for Web of Science ID 000426331300001
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Connections Matter: How Interactive Peers Affect Students in Online College Courses
JOURNAL OF POLICY ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT
2016; 35 (4): 932-?
View details for DOI 10.1002/pam.21932
View details for Web of Science ID 000383668300010
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When inputs are outputs: The case of graduate student instructors
ECONOMICS OF EDUCATION REVIEW
2016; 52: 63-76
View details for DOI 10.1016/j.econedurev.2016.01.005
View details for Web of Science ID 000378459600005
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Need-Based Aid and College Persistence: The Effects of the Ohio College Opportunity Grant
EDUCATIONAL EVALUATION AND POLICY ANALYSIS
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 2015; 37 (1_suppl): 102S-119S
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Home with Mom: The Effects of Stay-at-Home Parents on Children's Long-Run Educational Outcomes
JOURNAL OF LABOR ECONOMICS
2014; 32 (3): 443-467
View details for DOI 10.1086/675070
View details for Web of Science ID 000340135100003
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The Effects of Student Coaching: An Evaluation of a Randomized Experiment in Student Advising
EDUCATIONAL EVALUATION AND POLICY ANALYSIS
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 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 2014; 32 (3): 443-467
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Lessons learned from a data-driven college access program: The National College Advising Corps.
New directions for youth development
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
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Improving College Performance and Retention the Easy Way: Unpacking the ACT Exam
AMERICAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL-ECONOMIC POLICY
2013; 5 (2): 26-52
View details for DOI 10.1257/pol.5.2.26
View details for Web of Science ID 000318431900002
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Student Supports: Developmental Education and Other Academic Programs
FUTURE OF CHILDREN
2013; 23 (1): 93-115
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 2013; 5 (2): 26-52
- Lessons learned from a data‐driven college access program: The National College Advising Corps New directions for youth development 2013; 2013 (140): 55-75
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The Role of Application Assistance and Information in College Decisions: Results from the H & R Block Fafsa Experiment
QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS
2012; 127 (3): 1205-1242
View details for DOI 10.1093/qje/qjs017
View details for Web of Science ID 000307835000004
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PAYING TO LEARN: THE EFFECT OF FINANCIAL INCENTIVES ON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEST SCORES
REVIEW OF ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS
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 2012; 123 (3): 1205-1242
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ARE EDUCATIONAL VOUCHERS ONLY REDISTRIBUTIVE?
ECONOMIC JOURNAL
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
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DOES CHEAPER MEAN BETTER? THE IMPACT OF USING ADJUNCT INSTRUCTORS ON STUDENT OUTCOMES
REVIEW OF ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS
2010; 92 (3): 598-613
View details for Web of Science ID 000279729000012
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Addressing the Needs of Underprepared Students in Higher Education Does College Remediation Work?
JOURNAL OF HUMAN RESOURCES
2009; 44 (3): 736-771
View details for Web of Science ID 000267568400005