His research interests include higher education finance, student financial aid, and accountability policies and has recent articles published in The Journal of Higher Education, The Journal of Education Finance, and the Journal of Student Financial Aid. His work as a methodologist for Washington Monthly magazine’s annual college rankings won an award for best data journalism from the Education Writers Association. He is frequently quoted in the media, including The Washington Post, National Public Radio, The Wall Street Journal, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and Politico. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and finance from Truman State University, a master’s degree in economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a PhD in educational policy studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.