Kevin Mumford

Professor of Economics
Kozuch Director, Purdue University Research Center in Economics (PURCE)
Economics

Education

Ph.D. Economics, Stanford University
M.A. Economics, Stanford University
B.A. Economics, Brigham Young University

Kevin Mumford is a Professor of Economics in the Daniels School of Business and is the Kozuch Director of the Purdue University Research Center in Economics (PURCE). He is also currently serving as Co-Chair of the Business School Transition Steering Committee (website). Professor Mumford’s research focuses on the evaluation of public policy in the areas of education, taxation, labor market regulation, and personal finance as well as the role of human capital in measuring national wealth. He has published research articles in many of the top economics journals including the American Economic Review, the Review of Economics and Statistics, the American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, and the Journal of Econometrics and he has received research grants from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Institute for Research on Poverty, the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, the Searle Freedom Trust, and the Kinley Trust. At Purdue, Professor Mumford teaches courses in applied econometrics at the undergraduate, master's, and Ph.D. levels. He was previously the Director of Undergraduate Programs in Economics (2015-2018), Faculty Advisor for the Economics Honors Society (2007-2018), and Faculty Advisor for the Purdue Econ Club (2007-2014).

See Professor Mumford's website for additional information: business.purdue.edu/faculty/kjmumfor

Journal Articles

Denning, Jeffrey T., Eric Eide, Kevin J. Mumford, and Daniel Sabey (2022). Decreasing Time to Baccalaureate Degree in the United States. Economics of Education Review, vol. 90 102287. | Related Website | Download |
Ashkanani, Ahmad, Benjamin B. Dunford, and Kevin J. Mumford (2022). Impact of Motivation and Workload on Service Time: An Empirical Analysis of Call Center Operations.. Management Science, vol. 68 (9), 6697-6715. | Related Website |
Denning, Jeffrey T., Eric R. Eide, Kevin J. Mumford, Richard W. Patterson, and Merrill Warnick (2022). Why Have College Completion Rates Increased? An Analysis of Rising Grades. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, vol. 14 (3), 1-29. | Related Website | Download |
Dunford, Benjamin B., Kevin J. Mumford, R. Wayne Boss, Alan D. Boss, and David S. Boss (2019). Integrated Conflict Management Systems Pay Off with Lower Levels of Formal Grievances and Lower Turnover Rates. ILR Review, vol. 73 (2), 528-551. | Related Website | Download |
Li, Mingran, Wenjie Wu, Junhan Zhao, Keyuan Zhou, David Perkis, Timothy N. Bond, Kevin Mumford, David Hummels, and Yingjie Victor Chen (2018). Career Vis: Hierarchical Visualization of Career Pathway Data. IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications, vol. 38 (6), 96-105. | Related Website |
Lopresti, John W. & Kevin J. Mumford (2016). Who Benefits from a Minimum Wage Increase?. ILR Review, vol. 69 (5), 1171-1190. | Related Website | Download |
Barry, Brock E., Russell A. Long, Kevin J. Mumford, and Matthew W. Ohland (2016). Influence of Job Market Conditions on Engineering Cooperative Education Participation. Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice, vol. 142:3 | Related Website | Download |
Mumford, Kevin J. (2016). Prosperity, Sustainability and the Measurement of Wealth. Asia & the Pacific Policy Studies, vol. 3 (2), 226-234. | Related Website | Download |
Main, Joyce B., Kevin J. Mumford, and Matthew W. Ohland (2015). Examining the Influence of Engineering Students' Course Grades on Major Choice and Major Switching Behavior. International Journal of Engineering Education, vol. 31 (6A), 1468-1475. | Related Website | Download |
Miller, Benjamin M. and Kevin J. Mumford (2015). The Salience of Complex Tax Changes: Evidence from the Child and Dependent Care Credit Expansion. National Tax Journal, vol. 68 (3), 477-510. | Related Website | Download |
Lovenheim, Michael F. and Kevin J. Mumford (2013). Do Family Wealth Shocks Affect Fertility Choices: Evidence from the Housing Market Boom and Bust. Review of Economics and Statistics, vol. 95 (2), 464-475. | Related Website | Download |
Arrow, Kenneth J., Partha Dasgupta, Lawrence H. Goulder, Kevin J. Mumford, and Kirsten Oleson (2013). Sustainability and the Measurement of Wealth: Further Reflections. Environment and Development Economics, vol. 18 (4), 504-516. | Related Website | Download |
Li, Mingliang, Kevin J. Mumford, and Justin L. Tobias (2012). A Bayesian Analysis of Payday Loans and Their Regulation. Journal of Econometrics, vol. 171 (2), 205-216. | Related Website | Download |
Emerson, Tisha L. N., KimMarie McGoldrick, and Kevin J. Mumford (2012). Women and the Choice to Study Economics. Journal of Economic Education, vol. 43 (4), 349-362. | Related Website | Download |
Arrow, Kenneth J., Partha Dasgupta, Lawrence H. Goulder, Kevin J. Mumford, Kirsten Oleson (2012). Sustainability and the Measurement of Wealth. Environment and Development Economics, vol. 17 (3), 317-353. | Related Website | Download |
Crump, Richard., Gopi Shah Goda, and Kevin J. Mumford (2011). Fertility and the personal Exemption: Comment. American Economic Review, vol. 101:4 1616-1628. | Related Website | Download |
Mumford, Kevin, J. and Matthew W. Ohland (2011). Student Performance in Undergraduate Economics Courses. Journal of Economic Education, vol. 42 (3), 275-282. | Related Website | Download |

Conference Proceedings

Mumford, Kevin J. (2010). The Efficiency Cost of Child Tax Benefits. National Tax Association Proceedings of the 101st Annual Conference. vol. 201-207 | Related Website | Download |

Book Chapters

Mumford, Kevin J. (2012). Measuring Inclusive Wealth at the State Level in the United States. Inclusive Wealth Report 2012, Cambridge: Cambridge University. | Related Website | Download |
Arrow, Kenneth J., Partha Dasgupta, Lawrence H. Goulder, Kevin J. Mumford, and Kirsten Oleson (2010). China, the U.S., and Sustainability: Perspectives Based on Comprehensive Wealth. Is Economic Growth Sustainable?, International Economic Association. | Related Website | Download |

Other Publications

Denning, Jeffrey , Eric Eide, Kevin Mumford, Richard Patterson, and Merrill Warnick (2022). Lower Bars, Higher College GPAs: How grade inflation is boosting college graduation rates. Education Next, vol. 22 (1), 56-62. | Related Website |

Working Papers

Mumford, Kevin J., Rich Patterson, and Anthony Yim (2023). College Course Shutouts.
Batistich, Mary Kate, Timmothy N. Bond, Sebastian Linde, and Kevin J. Mumford (2023). Statistical Discrimination and Optimal Mismatch in College Major Selection.
Mumford, Kevin J. (2023). Student Selection into an Income Share Agreement. | Download |
Bond, Timothy N. & Kevin J. Mumford (2018). Teacher Performance Pay in the United States: Incidence and Adult Outcomes. | Related Website | Download |
Mumford, Kevin J. & Katie Schultz (2015). The Effect of Underwater Mortgages on Unemployment. | Download |
Manchester, Colleen Flaherty & Kevin J. Mumford (2013). How Costly is Welfare Stigma? Separating Psychological Costs from Time Costs. | Download |

GPAs, College Graduation Rates are up — While our Standards are Down
More and more students are getting good grades, and more are graduating. New research shows GPAs have been rising and college graduation rates have increased because standards have been lowered.
Full story: GPAs, College Graduation Rates are up — While our Standards are Down

Another round of $1,200 stimulus checks? A more targeted plan to get money to those who need it most is better option, say experts
Millions of Americans put a second round of $1,200 stimulus checks on their wish lists. But Congress has yet to decide exactly what the next version of coronavirus stimulus legislation will look like. Professor Kevin Mumford, Kozuch Director of the Purdue University Research Center in Economics, comments on the issue for CNBC.
Full story: Another round of $1,200 stimulus checks? A more targeted plan to get money to those who need it most is better option, say experts
Purdue economists: Americans unemployed due to COVID-19 lockdowns could be slow to return to work
The COVID-19 pandemic has paused the United States economy and resulted in historic levels of unemployment, and it’s unclear how easily the light switch can be turned back on, say Purdue University economists who specialize in public policy and labor markets.
Year in Review: PURCE continues Krannert’s long tradition in economics research
When Herman Krannert endowed the School of Management in 1962, Purdue University already had built a strong foundation for economics research under the leadership of founding Dean Emanuel “Em” Weiler. Flash forward more than half a century, and you’ll find that same spirit and mission in the Krannert School of Management’s current economics center, which bridges the worlds of research and public policy, data and real-world impact.
Purdue trustees approve naming of Krannert faculty positions and study abroad program
The Purdue University Board of Trustees has ratified two named faculty positions at Krannert and approved the naming of the school's study abroad program in honor of an alumna. Professor Justin Tobias was named the Loeb Chair in Economics, while Associate Professor Kevin Mumford was named the Kozuch Director of the Purdue University Research Center in Economics (PURCE). Trustees also approved a resolution of appreciation for those who recently contributed $1 million or more to the university, including Krannert alumna Nancy Handel, whose ongoing gift commitments will create the Nancy H. Handel Study Abroad Program.
Purdue has teamed up with Nationwide to develop a veterinary price index

Bucking the U.S. government’s assertion that prices for products and services at veterinary hospitals rose 15 percent from 2009 to 2013, pet insurance provider VPI-Nationwide and an economist from Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management have concluded that charges for veterinary services actually fell 1 percent in that four-year period.