Robert Kelchen, Ph.D 

Professor, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Robert Kelchen is a professor of education and head of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His research areas include higher education finance, accountability policies, and student financial aid. He is particularly interested in how colleges respond to external financial pressures and the resulting implications for students.

Robert is the author of Higher Education Accountability (Johns Hopkins University Press) and has recent articles published in AERA Open, Economics of Education Review, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, Research in Higher Education, and The Journal of Higher Education. He is frequently quoted in national and international media outlets and has been recognized as one of the most influential faculty members on social media by Education Week and The Chronicle of Higher Education. He is also the data editor for Washington Monthly magazine’s annual college guide and rankings. 

Education

• PhD, Educational Policy Studies – University of Wisconsin-Madison

• MS, Economics – University of Wisconsin-Madison

• BS, Economics and Finance – Truman State University

Areas of Expertise

Higher Education Finance
Accountability Policies
Student Financial Aid
College Affordability