CV
Professional ​
info​​
I'm an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin. My main field of interest is the economics of education. I focus on the determinants of human capital from the schooling years on to higher education and associated labor markets. Methodologically I specialize in exploiting novel variation found in large administrative data. I am a Research Affiliate with NBER, IZA, and the CEP at LSE, and a Research Fellow with CESifo. I also co-run the Economics of Higher Education research network.
Publications
Murphy, R., & Wyness, G. (Accepted; expected Summer 2023). Testing Means-Tested Aid. Journal of Labor Economics, 41(3) https://doi.org/10.1086/719995
Denning J., Murphy, R., & Weinhardt, F. (Accepted; expected Spring 2023). Class Rank and Long-Run Outcomes. Review of Economics and Statistics, 1(45) https://doi.org/10.1162/rest_a_01125
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Campbell, S., Macmillan, L., Murphy, R., & Wyness, G. (2022) Matching in the dark? Inequalities in student to degree match. Journal of Labor Economics, 40(4) https://doi.org/10.1086/718433
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Burgess, S., Greaves, E., & Murphy, R. (2022). Deregulating Teacher Labor Markets. Economics of Education Review, 88(1) 102253 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2022.102253
Murphy, R., F. Weinhardt, and G. Wyness (2021) “Who Teaches the Teachers? A RCT of Peer-To-Peer Observation and Feedback in 181 Schools” Economics of Education Review https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2021.102091
Murphy, R. and F. Weinhardt (2020) “Top of The Class: The Importance of Ordinal Rank” Review of Economic Studies https://doi.org/10.1093/restud/rdaa020
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Murphy, R., & Wyness, G. (2020). Minority Report: the impact of predicted grades on university admissions of disadvantaged groups. Education Economics, 28(4), 333-350 ​https://doi.org/10.1080/09645292.2020.1761945
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Murphy, R. (2020) “Why Unions Survive: Understanding How Unions Overcome The Free-Rider Problem”, Journal of Labor Economics.
https://doi.org/10.1086/706091
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Murphy, R., Scott-Clayton, J. & Wyness, G. (2019), “The End of Free College in England: Implications for Quality, Enrolments and Equality” Economics of Education Review
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2018.11.007
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Machin, S. and R. Murphy (2017) “Paying Out and Crowding Out? The Globalisation of Higher Education”, Journal of Economic Geography https://doi.org/10.1093/jeg/lbx006
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Beland, L and Murphy, R. (2016) “Ill Communication: Technology, distraction & student performance” Labour Economics, Vol.41, pp.61-76 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2016.04.004
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Working ​
Papers
Murphy, R., Stansfield J.R. & Wyness G. More Than Words: The Impacts of Teacher Assessment on Student Outcomes.
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Murphy, R and Telhaj S. Losing My Religion: The Long Run Impact of Imposed Atheism.
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Bridet, L., Leighton M., & Murphy R. The Major Decision: Labor Market Implications of the Timing of Specialization in College
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Murphy, R., K. Schnepel, & Weinhardt F. “Different Strokes: An Alternate Identification of Rank Effects”
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Murphy, R., Wyness, G., & Campbell S. “Teacher Discrimination: Revealed Preferences”
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Murphy, R., Wyness, G., & Campbell S. “Long-run Impacts of Mismatch”,
Employment
Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Austin Dept. of Economics
​2014 - present
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Research Officer, London School of Economics, Centre for Economic Performance
​2012 - 2015
Research Assistant, London School of Economics, Centre for Economic Performance
​2006 - 2012
Research Assistant, University of Westminster
​2005 - 2006
Education
PhD Economics University College London
​2014
MSc. Economics University of Southampton
​2004
BSc. (Hons) Economics University of Southampton
​2003
Professional Activities
Teaching Experience
Economics of Education, Undergraduate, University of Texas at Austin ​Spring 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
Introduction to Labor, Graduate, University of Texas at Austin, Autumn 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019
Referee Experience
Quarterly Journal of Economics, Journal of Political Economy, Review of Economic Studies, Journal of the European Economic Association, Journal of Labor Economics, Journal of Public Economics, Journal of Human Capital, The Economic Journal, Economica, Economics of Education Review, European Economic Review, Empirical Economics, London Review of Education, Education Economics, Economic Inquiry
Research Network Founded