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Seth Zimmerman

Seth Zimmerman

Associate Professor of Economics

Professor Zimmerman studies labor economics and public finance, with a focus on the economics of education. His research examines the social, economic, and policy determinants of educational attainment and the returns to education, with an eye towards understanding how education systems contribute to upward mobility, income inequality, and growth.  Recent work asks how access to selective higher education affects upward mobility into top jobs and top incomes, how school districts can design transparent and equitable public school choice systems, and how public investment in education affects student outcomes. Partnerships with local and national governments to design, implement, and evaluate public policies are central to Professor Zimmerman's research.

Education

  • PhD, Yale University, 2014
  • M.Phil, Yale University, 2011
  • MA, Yale University, 2010
  • BA, Dartmouth College, 2006

Article

Old boys’ clubs and upward mobility among the educational elite

Michelman, Valerie, Joseph Price, and Seth Zimmerman
The Quarterly Journal of Economics
2022 Article

Smart matching platforms and heterogeneous beliefs in centralized school choice

Arteaga, Felipe, Adam J. Kapor, Christopher A. Neilson, and Seth Zimmerman
The Quarterly Journal of Economics
2022 Article

Centralized School choice with unequal outside options

Akbarpour, Mohammad, Adam Kapor, Christopher Neilson, Winnie van Dijk, and Seth Zimmerman
Journal of Public Economics
2022 Article