Economics

How baby boomers got so rich, and why their kids are unlikely to catch up

Olivia Mitchell of the Wharton School discusses how baby boomers benefitted from economic conditions that succeeding generations will likely not have.

Addressing economic complexities

Beginning in fall 2026, the College of Liberal & Professional Studies and the Department of Economics in Penn’s School of Arts & Sciences will offer a new Master of Applied Economics and Data Science degree.

Why are credit card rates so high?

Credit card lending delivers a much higher return on assets than the banking sector, according to new research co-authored by Wharton finance professor Itamar Drechsler.

2 min. read

The AI pay boost could peak sooner than you think, professor says

Research by Ioana Marinescu of the School of Social Policy & Practice suggests that wage growth could start to reverse as soon as roughly 37% of cognitive or “intelligence” tasks are automated.

The aging society turning to its elderly workers

Olivia Mitchell of the Wharton School says the U.S. population is rapidly aging, producing labor shortages.

Government cash transfer programs linked to major health gains for women and children

A Penn study finds that more women receive health care early in their pregnancies, more babies are born in health facilities, and more births are attended by trained health workers when governments give money through cash transfer programs.

2 min. read

Students work on a pop quiz on their laptops.

Machine learning and the social sciences

Daniel Gillion’s course teaches students without a coding background how to apply models to a wide range of problems across political science, economics, and sociology.

3 min. read

Markets should pay heed to the affordability squeeze

Mohamed El-Erian of the Wharton School writes that the issue of affordability contributes to economic instability, social fracture, and political polarization.

2 mortgage overhauls that could unchain home sales

Sustan Wachter of the Wharton School says that the benefits of a 50-year mortgage could be undone through a rise in prices.

Jin Liu, Penn’s newest economics faculty member, specializes in international trade.

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Economics is ‘a unique way of thinking’ to see through the mystery of daily life

Economist Jin Liu focuses on international trade and industrial organization in her research.

2 min. read

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How baby boomers got so rich, and why their kids are unlikely to catch up

Addressing economic complexities

Why are credit card rates so high?

The AI pay boost could peak sooner than you think, professor says

The aging society turning to its elderly workers

Government cash transfer programs linked to major health gains for women and children

Machine learning and the social sciences

Markets should pay heed to the affordability squeeze

2 mortgage overhauls that could unchain home sales

Economics is ‘a unique way of thinking’ to see through the mystery of daily life