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Economic Analysis & Policy

Our doctoral program in the field of economic analysis and policy prepares students for research careers in economics. The program offers rigorous training and has several distinct advantages:

Low Student-to-Faculty Ratio

First, enrollment in the program is small. This encourages close faculty-student contact and allows students to become involved in research very early. Students work first as assistants on faculty research projects and, as their interests and skills develop, on their own research. Students often begin their publishing careers before completing their degrees.

Flexible and Innovative Program

Second, the program is flexible and innovative; students can draw on both the school’s and the university’s distinguished faculty. In addition to the faculty in the economics group at Stanford GSB and in the university’s economics department, students have access to faculty in political and behavioral sciences; accounting and finance; mathematics, statistics, and computer science; and many other disciplines.

A Top-Ranked School

Third, the program is part of a top-ranked professional school. This setting allows students to gain a deeper understanding of the actual processes of business decision-making and public policy formulation.

Preparation and Qualifications

Students who enroll in this program have a substantial background in economics and mathematics. They are expected to have, minimally, mathematical skills at the level of one year of advanced calculus and one course each in linear algebra, analysis, probability, optimization, and statistics.

The faculty selects students based on predicted performance in the program. Evidence of substantial background or ability in the use of mathematical reasoning and statistical methods is important. Most successful applicants had quantitative undergraduate majors in economics, mathematics, or related sciences.

In addition to evidence of ability and letters of recommendation, the faculty considers carefully the applicant’s statement of purpose for pursuing the PhD degree. The successful applicant usually has clearly defined career goals that are compatible with those of the program.

Acceptance into the program is extremely competitive. Admitted applicants compare very favorably with students enrolled in the top economics departments of major universities.

Economic Analysis & Policy Faculty

Mohammad akbarpour, claudia allende santa cruz, susan athey, lanier benkard, jeremy i. bulow, modibo khane camara, sebastian di tella, rebecca diamond, yossi feinberg, guido w. imbens, charles i. jones, jonathan levin, michael ostrovsky, garth saloner, yuliy sannikov, kathryn shaw, andrzej skrzypacz, paulo somaini, takuo sugaya, juan carlos suárez serrato, christopher tonetti, shoshana vasserman, ali yurukoglu, weijie zhong, emeriti faculty, alain c. enthoven, robert j. flanagan, david m. kreps, peter c. reiss, john roberts, a. michael spence, robert wilson, recent publications in economic analysis & policy, choosing the “right” default donation amounts for each donor to balance multiple fundraising objectives, fixed effects and the generalized mundlak estimator, long-term causal inference under persistent confounding via data combination, recent insights by stanford business, why i research: findings fueled by the head and the heart, a “grumpy economist” weighs in on inflation’s causes — and its cures, if/then: why research matters, placement director.

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PhD Program

Main navigation.

The PhD degree in MS&E is intended for students primarily interested in a career of research and teaching, or high-level technical work in universities, industry, or government.

The PhD is conferred upon candidates who have demonstrated substantial scholarship and the ability to conduct independent research. Through course work and guided research, the program prepares students to make original contributions in Management Science and Engineering and related fields.

Doctoral Programs

Program overview Curriculum Admission

Program overview

Student Stories

“I became interested in the intersection between behavioral economics and energy policy, inspiring many of the projects I have undertaken during my time at Stanford.”

- Melanie Craxton, graduating PhD candidate

An illustration of a person walking on a path shaped like an arrow, while arrows pointing in different directions surround them

Career Placement

PhD graduates from MS&E have taken positions with a wide range of organizations that include high-tech businesses, government agencies, nonprofits, and academic institutions.

Click below to see where graduates have found employment.

Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program

Applicants to the Department of Economics should also consider applying to the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program .

Applying to Stanford

Join dozens of Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences students who gain valuable leadership skills in a multidisciplinary, multicultural community as Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS).

KHS admits up to 100 applicants each year from across Stanford’s seven graduate schools, and delivers engaging experiences that prepare them to be visionary, courageous, and collaborative leaders ready to address complex global challenges. As a scholar, you join a distinguished cohort, participate in up to three years of KHS's leadership program, and receive full funding for up to three years of your studies at Stanford.

Candidates of any country may apply. KHS applicants must have earned their first undergraduate degree within the last seven years, and must apply to both a Stanford graduate program and to KHS. Stanford PhD students may also apply to KHS during their first year of PhD enrollment.

If you aspire to be a leader in your field, we invite you to apply. The KHS application deadline is October 9, 2024 . Learn more about KHS admission .

The application for admission in academic year 2024-25 is now closed. The application for admission for the academic year 2025-26 will open on September 12, 2024. Please return to this page throughout the admissions cycle for the most up to date information on our admission process and requirements.

Stanford’s Office of Graduate Admissions begins accepting graduate program applications in late-September for students wishing to be considered for admission to the Economics Ph.D. program the following September. The application deadline for the Economics Ph.D. is December 4, 2024 (11:59pm Pacific Time).

The Department of Economics recognizes that the Supreme Court issued a ruling in June 2023 about the consideration of certain types of demographic information as part of an admission review. All applications submitted during upcoming application cycles will be reviewed in conformance with that decision.

Stanford is committed to fostering intellectual excellence in graduate education by enrolling a diverse student body and creating a vibrant and supportive educational environment. The Department of Economics welcomes graduate applications from individuals with a broad range of life experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds who would contribute to our community of scholars. Review of applications is holistic and individualized, considering each applicant’s academic record and accomplishments, letters of recommendation, and admissions essays in order to understand how an applicant’s life experiences have shaped their past and potential contributions to their field.

As a department, we strive to admit applicants with the potential to excel at economic research and/or the potential to apply economics to benefit society, and who themselves contribute to a rich educational environment for our students. At least one and usually multiple faculty members serving on our Ph.D. admissions committee gives an individualized and holistic review to every complete application submitted to our Ph.D. program.

Application forms cannot be downloaded, and materials must be submitted online. Applicants must submit the following materials:

The Economics Department requires an official GRE score for admission. They will be evaluated with your application in a holistic manner.
A statement of purpose (not exceeding two pages in length)
Three letters of recommendation (Faculty often need time to write these recommendations, so please be sure to contact them early in the process so they can submit their letters by the deadline.)
A writing sample (up to 10 pages may be uploaded into the application)
Please upload scanned (unofficial) copies of transcripts from every college and university you attended for at least one full year as a full-time student by the application deadline as part of your online application. Do not send official transcripts at this time and do not send anything by mail, it must all be uploaded to the application online. Official transcripts should be sent to the central university admissions office (not the Department) at the time you accept an offer of admission.
Applicants must hold, or expect to hold before enrollment at Stanford, a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. college or university accredited by a regional accrediting association.
Applicants from institutions outside the U.S. must hold the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree from a college or university of recognized standing. See minimum level of study required of International applicants .
Stanford will temporarily accept the TOEFL ITP Plus test with the Vericant interview for applicants from Mainland China who are unable to sit for the TOEFL iBT. This exception is requested only for the 2020-2021 application cycle. Applicants may be asked to re-test at a later time once the Stanford TOEFL iBT becomes available, or applicants may be asked to re-test through the Stanford Language Center.
To meet the needs of students who are unable to take the TOEFL iBT® test at a test center due to public health concerns, ETS is temporarily offering the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition.
Stanford’s Economics Department also requires that students complete a coursework spreadsheet as part of the online application. The reason we require this is that we receive and review transcripts from many schools, and it is extremely helpful for us to review applicants’ economics-related coursework in a standardized format. Stanford's course catalog will likely be helpful in determining which Stanford courses are most similar to those you have taken.

No additional materials that become available after the deadline (e.g. updated transcripts) will be accepted.

If you have any questions throughout this process, please contact econ-grad [at] stanford.edu (econ-grad[at]stanford[dot]edu) .

The non-refundable application fee is $125, but please note that fee waivers are available for individuals needing assistance with application fees.

Stanford’s Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education provides several resources about life at Stanford. See also this statement of support for undocumented students .

Economics Mentoring Program

Many students interested in an economics PhD experience disparate degrees of support in the application process. The Economics Mentoring Program (EMP), an independent volunteer-based student-run program, aims to mitigate these gaps by helping students from underrepresented groups connect with graduate student mentors in the economics PhD programs at Duke, Harvard, MIT, and Stanford. These mentors can provide:

Advice on graduate school and fellowship applications, including questions about the application process and feedback on application materials.
Information about economics research, life as a PhD student or in an academic career, for students deciding whether a PhD in economics is the right choice for them.

The EMP aims to increase the pipeline of diverse talent in economics PhD programs and welcomes participation from all groups underrepresented in economics. The EMP welcomes participation among students at various stages of their economics studies, including undergraduates and college graduates. The EMP is open to students curious about the academic economics experience and interested in determining if it’s right for them.

Interested participants should fill out the application linked below. Applications will be accepted until July 22, 2024. Mentorship will begin over the summer and continue through Fall 2024. Mentees who prefer to meet for a single “coffee chat” may indicate their preference on the form. The EMP will do its best to match all interested applicants with a mentor; however, demand may exceed the availability of mentors.

The EMP is not considered part of the admissions process for the economics PhD program at Duke, Harvard, MIT, or Stanford, nor will any student's participation in the EMP be considered by the graduate admissions committee at any school.

Please direct any questions to economicsmentoring [at] gmail.com (economicsmentoring[at]gmail[dot]com) . To join the program, please click the link below to fill out the form. For more information, please visit the EMP website at:

Website link: www.economicsmentoringprogram.com

EMP Application Form Link: https://forms.gle/tWvNRXRJQWEHhFn16