Jesse Rothstein

Jesse Rothstein is a Professor of Public Policy and Economics at the University of California, Berkeley, holding the Carmel P. Friesen Chair in Public Policy and the David Pierpont Gardner Chair in Higher Education. He serves as Director of the Center for Studies in Higher Education and co-director of the California Policy Lab, which he co-founded in 2017. Previously, he held roles as Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of Labor and Senior Economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Economics, UC Berkeley
• Masters in Public Policy, UC Berkeley
• A.B. from Harvard University

Research Interests: Focuses on education policy, tax/transfer systems, and labor markets. Recent work addresses school finance reforms, intergenerational mobility, safety net program efficacy, and wage disparities. His research bridges theoretical and applied policy analysis to inform equitable economic outcomes.

Awards & Affiliations:

• Fellowships: National Education Policy Center, CESifo, IZA, Learning Policy Institute
• Research Associate, National Bureau of Economic Research
• Editorial roles: Industrial Relations, Review of Economics and Statistics, Education Finance and Policy

Grants & Advising: Leads major policy initiatives like the California Policy Lab and IRLE. Active in workforce training evaluations and anti-poverty program design. Advises on policy implementation through litigation support and expert testimony in education finance cases.

Labs & Teams: Directs the Center for Studies in Higher Education and co-leads the California Policy Lab, focusing on evidence-based solutions for state-level challenges in education, labor, and social welfare.