David H Feldman
Professor of Economics, Emeritus
Professor of Economics, Emeritus
David H. Feldman is a professor emeritus of economics at William & Mary.
His current research broadly explores the economics of the American higher education system. This includes issues of price, cost, student debt, financial aid, and policy options to improve college access and student success. His has written two books for Oxford University Press, coauthored with Robert Archibald -- Why Does College Cost so Much? and The Road Ahead for America’s Colleges and Universities. He has also written for professional journals in the fields of economics and higher education.
In addition to his scholarly research, Feldman writes widely for education associations, news outlets, and policy journals. He is a frequent media commentator on higher education.
The American Association of University Administrators (AAUA) gave him the Stephen J. Trachtenberg award for thought leadership in higher education, and the National Association of Student Financial Aid Officers (NASFAA) honored him with the Robert P. Huff Golden Quill Award for his work on college cost and financial aid. William & Mary recognized his teaching excellence with a term professorship, and gave him a Plumeri Award for faculty excellence.
He studied economics and political science at Kenyon College, graduating in 1978. He earned his Ph.D. in economics from Duke University in 1982.
When not staring at his computer, you can find him hiking in the Blue Ridge or in the mountains of northern New Mexico, diving somewhere in the Caribbean, or playing fairly easy pieces on the piano. He muses on Bluesky about higher education and other things at dhfeldman.bsky.social.