Zachary Bleemer

Zachary Bleemer is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Princeton University in the Industrial Relations Section. He is also a research associate of Opportunity Insights and the Center for Studies in Higher Education, where he directs the UC ClioMetric History Project. Additionally, he is a faculty research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). His work combines historical and contemporary university records with quasi-experimental research designs to examine the long-run ramifications of young Americans' post-secondary education and specialization decisions, with a particular focus on university policies that promote socioeconomic mobility.

Education

• Ph.D. in Economics from UC Berkeley
• B.A. in Economics, Mathematics, and Philosophy from Amherst College

Research Interests

Bleemer specializes in the economics of education, focusing on long-run student outcomes of post-secondary educational policies and decisions. His research examines university policies that promote socioeconomic mobility, affirmative action and other access-oriented admissions policies, the consequences of student debt accumulation, widespread misinformation about the costs and benefits of higher education, and state disinvestment from public higher education.

His work often combines large-scale historical and contemporary university records with quasi-experimental research designs to identify causal effects of educational policies. He has made significant contributions to understanding how college major restrictions affect student stratification, the impact of affirmative action policies on economic mobility, and how college returns differ across socioeconomic groups.

Publication Trends

Bleemer's research portfolio shows a consistent focus on higher education policy and economic mobility, with increasing attention to historical perspectives on college access and outcomes. His most recent work examines how the college wage premium has changed for different socioeconomic groups over the past century, revealing a trend toward 'collegiate regressivity' where lower-income students receive a smaller relative return from college attendance than they did in the mid-20th century. His publications span top economics journals including the Quarterly Journal of Economics and the American Economic Journal: Applied Economics.

Scientific Awards and Affiliations

• Research associate of Opportunity Insights
• Faculty research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)
• Research associate of the Center for Studies in Higher Education

Advising and Research Projects

As director of the UC ClioMetric History Project, Bleemer oversees one of the largest repositories of historical and contemporary university records in the United States. This project has enabled groundbreaking research on the long-term effects of educational policies. While specific advisees are not listed in the available information, his work suggests he likely mentors graduate students interested in labor economics, education policy, and economic history. His research has been supported by various academic institutions and has received significant media attention in outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.

Laboratories and Teams

Bleemer directs the UC ClioMetric History Project, which has constructed one of the largest repositories of historical and contemporary university records in the United States. This project involves collaboration with researchers from multiple institutions to analyze longitudinal educational and economic outcomes. He also collaborates with Opportunity Insights, a team co-founded by prominent economists Raj Chetty, John Friedman, and Nathaniel Hendren, which focuses on using 'big data' to understand economic mobility.