Raj Chetty

Raj Chetty is a Harvard economics professor who uses big data analyses of tax records and other administrative data to study economic mobility and opportunity in America. His Opportunity Insights project has produced landmark research showing how children's economic outcomes depend dramatically on where they grow up, their parents' income, and their college. His research on the "fading American dream" — showing declining intergenerational mobility — and the role of neighborhoods in shaping outcomes has influenced policy discussions on housing, education, and tax policy. Chetty's methodology — linking vast administrative data sets from the IRS, universities, and social programs — represented a new paradigm in empirical economics that leverages quasi-experimental variation to draw causal conclusions at scale. His work on how college choice affects long-term income outcomes for students from lower-income families has directly influenced admissions policies at several selective universities and policy discussions about higher education access and return on investment.