He holds a doctorate in economics and a master's degree in public policy from the University of Michigan. His research focuses on the effects of public education policies on high school completion, college entry, and household savings; and the effects of educational quality on educational attainment, labor market outcomes, family formation, and other behaviors. He is the winner of The Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management's 2002 Ph.D. Dissertation Award for the Best Ph.D. Dissertation in Public Policy and Management. He has publications in The Review of Economics and Statistics, the Journal of Public Economics, the Journal of Econometrics, Economics of Education Review, and Public Administration Review.