RaeAnn H. Robinson, Ph.D.

I am an Assistant Professor of Economics at La Salle University. I hold a Ph.D. in Economics from the George Washington University. Before pursuing my Ph.D., I spent three years working as an IT Security Analyst for NASA. That experience taught me that economic principles aren’t just found in textbooks – they are practical tools used every day in nearly every career path imaginable.

An empirical microeconomist, my research focuses on labor markets, gender, education, and historical patterns, with work exploring the hidden history of 19th-century labor and modern-day earnings gaps. My teaching and research bridge the gap between complex data and real-world application, utilizing intuitive, mathematical, and practical lenses to make economics engaging for students.

Let’s Connect: Mentorship is a two-way street. I have benefited enormously from my own mentors, and I look forward to supporting your journey here at La Salle. My door is always open if you want to discuss course material, research opportunities, or how to apply economic thinking to your own future goals.

Teaching Interests

• Principles of Microeconomics & Macroeconomics
• Labor Economics
• Economic History
• Gender & Economics

Selected Publications

“The Labor Market Attainment of Immigrants in the Antebellum United States” (with Barry R. Chiswick), in Migration, Human Capital, and the Labor Market, (Benjamin Elsner and Solomon Polachek, eds.), Research in Labor Economics, 2026.

“An Analysis of Slaveholders According to the 1850 Census” (with Barry R. Chiswick), Cliometrica., 2025.

“An Analysis of the Occupations of Free Women in the Antebellum USA” (with Barry R. Chiswick), Cliometrica, 2024.

“Women at Work in the United States Since 1860: An Analysis of Unreported Family Workers” (with Barry R. Chiswick), Explorations in Economic History, 2021.

Education

Ph.D., Economics, The George Washington University, 2019.

M.A., Economics, The George Washington University, 2018.

Graduate Certificate, Information Assurance, University of Maryland University College, 2011.

B.S., Economics, The George Washington University, 2010.

B.A., International Affairs, The George Washington University, 2010.