- earlyd@southwestern.edu
- 512.863.1592
- Mood-Bridwell 334
Dirk Early
Professor of Economics
Dirk Early received his PhD from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA in 1995 and his BSB from Miami University, Oxford, OH in 1988.
In the News
The 2026–2031 roadmap aligns academic excellence, career preparation, and institutional priorities around a shared vision for Southwestern’s future.
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Leaders from Southwestern University and the City of Georgetown joined forces on Friday, October 23 to celebrate the official start of construction on the Southwestern University 560 development.
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Southwestern University was chosen from among 1,500 applicants to host a panel at SXSW EDU 2027 in Austin.
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Southwestern has received another recognition as one of the top liberal arts colleges in Texas with Forbes ranking the University #2 in the Lone Star State.
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The home of the Pirates basketball and volleyball programs will receive a series of upgrades to elevate the fan experience and enhance the home court advantage.
more information
In alignment with Southwestern’s Tactical Plan, the five-year grant will aid the University’s initiatives to increase retention and graduation rates, prepare students to meet the needs of today’s workforce, and modernize academic facilities.
more information
U.S. News & World Report ranked Southwestern #2 in the state of Texas and #91 in the country on their annual Best National Liberal Arts Colleges List.
more information
Led by Assistant Professor of Physics August Kohls, a group of students are working to design and construct a low-cost device for quick and reliable disease detection at home.
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SU checked in at #11 on the leading college planning platform’s annual Top 25 Best Southwest Colleges List, marking the seventh consecutive year the University has ranked inside the top 15.
more information
History major Ethan Sledge ’27 made history by becoming Southwestern’s first-ever member of The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Now, he is focused on helping establish the organization’s presence on campus through building community.
more information
Highlighted by nationally-ranked faculty, career services, Greek life, and campus recreation, Southwestern shines as one of the best universities in Texas in The Princeton Review’s annual college guide.
more information
Looking back on a career that has included leadership roles at JPMorgan Chase, Facebook, Instagram, Birdwell, and now GoDaddy, Clawson credits one thing above all else: the liberal arts education that he received at Southwestern University.
more information
The 2026–2031 roadmap aligns academic excellence, career preparation, and institutional priorities around a shared vision for Southwestern’s future.
more information
Leaders from Southwestern University and the City of Georgetown joined forces on Friday, October 23 to celebrate the official start of construction on the Southwestern University 560 development.
more information
Southwestern University was chosen from among 1,500 applicants to host a panel at SXSW EDU 2027 in Austin.
more information
Southwestern has received another recognition as one of the top liberal arts colleges in Texas with Forbes ranking the University #2 in the Lone Star State.
more information
The home of the Pirates basketball and volleyball programs will receive a series of upgrades to elevate the fan experience and enhance the home court advantage.
more information
In alignment with Southwestern’s Tactical Plan, the five-year grant will aid the University’s initiatives to increase retention and graduation rates, prepare students to meet the needs of today’s workforce, and modernize academic facilities.
more information
U.S. News & World Report ranked Southwestern #2 in the state of Texas and #91 in the country on their annual Best National Liberal Arts Colleges List.
more information
Led by Assistant Professor of Physics August Kohls, a group of students are working to design and construct a low-cost device for quick and reliable disease detection at home.
more information
SU checked in at #11 on the leading college planning platform’s annual Top 25 Best Southwest Colleges List, marking the seventh consecutive year the University has ranked inside the top 15.
more information
History major Ethan Sledge ’27 made history by becoming Southwestern’s first-ever member of The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Now, he is focused on helping establish the organization’s presence on campus through building community.
more information
Highlighted by nationally-ranked faculty, career services, Greek life, and campus recreation, Southwestern shines as one of the best universities in Texas in The Princeton Review’s annual college guide.
more information
Looking back on a career that has included leadership roles at JPMorgan Chase, Facebook, Instagram, Birdwell, and now GoDaddy, Clawson credits one thing above all else: the liberal arts education that he received at Southwestern University.
more information
The 2026–2031 roadmap aligns academic excellence, career preparation, and institutional priorities around a shared vision for Southwestern’s future.
more information
Leaders from Southwestern University and the City of Georgetown joined forces on Friday, October 23 to celebrate the official start of construction on the Southwestern University 560 development.
more information
Southwestern University was chosen from among 1,500 applicants to host a panel at SXSW EDU 2027 in Austin.
more information
Southwestern has received another recognition as one of the top liberal arts colleges in Texas with Forbes ranking the University #2 in the Lone Star State.
more information
The home of the Pirates basketball and volleyball programs will receive a series of upgrades to elevate the fan experience and enhance the home court advantage.
more information
In alignment with Southwestern’s Tactical Plan, the five-year grant will aid the University’s initiatives to increase retention and graduation rates, prepare students to meet the needs of today’s workforce, and modernize academic facilities.
more information
U.S. News & World Report ranked Southwestern #2 in the state of Texas and #91 in the country on their annual Best National Liberal Arts Colleges List.
more information
Led by Assistant Professor of Physics August Kohls, a group of students are working to design and construct a low-cost device for quick and reliable disease detection at home.
more information
SU checked in at #11 on the leading college planning platform’s annual Top 25 Best Southwest Colleges List, marking the seventh consecutive year the University has ranked inside the top 15.
more information
History major Ethan Sledge ’27 made history by becoming Southwestern’s first-ever member of The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Now, he is focused on helping establish the organization’s presence on campus through building community.
more information
Highlighted by nationally-ranked faculty, career services, Greek life, and campus recreation, Southwestern shines as one of the best universities in Texas in The Princeton Review’s annual college guide.
more information
Looking back on a career that has included leadership roles at JPMorgan Chase, Facebook, Instagram, Birdwell, and now GoDaddy, Clawson credits one thing above all else: the liberal arts education that he received at Southwestern University.
more information
The 2026–2031 roadmap aligns academic excellence, career preparation, and institutional priorities around a shared vision for Southwestern’s future.
more information
Leaders from Southwestern University and the City of Georgetown joined forces on Friday, October 23 to celebrate the official start of construction on the Southwestern University 560 development.
more information
Southwestern University was chosen from among 1,500 applicants to host a panel at SXSW EDU 2027 in Austin.
more information
Southwestern has received another recognition as one of the top liberal arts colleges in Texas with Forbes ranking the University #2 in the Lone Star State.
more information
The home of the Pirates basketball and volleyball programs will receive a series of upgrades to elevate the fan experience and enhance the home court advantage.
more information
In alignment with Southwestern’s Tactical Plan, the five-year grant will aid the University’s initiatives to increase retention and graduation rates, prepare students to meet the needs of today’s workforce, and modernize academic facilities.
more information
U.S. News & World Report ranked Southwestern #2 in the state of Texas and #91 in the country on their annual Best National Liberal Arts Colleges List.
more information
Led by Assistant Professor of Physics August Kohls, a group of students are working to design and construct a low-cost device for quick and reliable disease detection at home.
more information
SU checked in at #11 on the leading college planning platform’s annual Top 25 Best Southwest Colleges List, marking the seventh consecutive year the University has ranked inside the top 15.
more information
History major Ethan Sledge ’27 made history by becoming Southwestern’s first-ever member of The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Now, he is focused on helping establish the organization’s presence on campus through building community.
more information
Highlighted by nationally-ranked faculty, career services, Greek life, and campus recreation, Southwestern shines as one of the best universities in Texas in The Princeton Review’s annual college guide.
more information
Looking back on a career that has included leadership roles at JPMorgan Chase, Facebook, Instagram, Birdwell, and now GoDaddy, Clawson credits one thing above all else: the liberal arts education that he received at Southwestern University.
more information
The 2026–2031 roadmap aligns academic excellence, career preparation, and institutional priorities around a shared vision for Southwestern’s future.
more information
Leaders from Southwestern University and the City of Georgetown joined forces on Friday, October 23 to celebrate the official start of construction on the Southwestern University 560 development.
more information
Southwestern University was chosen from among 1,500 applicants to host a panel at SXSW EDU 2027 in Austin.
more information
Southwestern has received another recognition as one of the top liberal arts colleges in Texas with Forbes ranking the University #2 in the Lone Star State.
more information
The home of the Pirates basketball and volleyball programs will receive a series of upgrades to elevate the fan experience and enhance the home court advantage.
more information
In alignment with Southwestern’s Tactical Plan, the five-year grant will aid the University’s initiatives to increase retention and graduation rates, prepare students to meet the needs of today’s workforce, and modernize academic facilities.
more information
U.S. News & World Report ranked Southwestern #2 in the state of Texas and #91 in the country on their annual Best National Liberal Arts Colleges List.
more information
Led by Assistant Professor of Physics August Kohls, a group of students are working to design and construct a low-cost device for quick and reliable disease detection at home.
more information
SU checked in at #11 on the leading college planning platform’s annual Top 25 Best Southwest Colleges List, marking the seventh consecutive year the University has ranked inside the top 15.
more information
Highlighted by nationally-ranked faculty, career services, Greek life, and campus recreation, Southwestern shines as one of the best universities in Texas in The Princeton Review’s annual college guide.
more information
Looking back on a career that has included leadership roles at JPMorgan Chase, Facebook, Instagram, Birdwell, and now GoDaddy, Clawson credits one thing above all else: the liberal arts education that he received at Southwestern University.
more information
This summer, psychology majors Ingrid Buchwald ’27 and Julia Marshall ’27 worked to validate a parental effort scale developed by Professor of Psychology Carin Perilloux.
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Notable Achievements
Economics majors Abbie Boatwright ’19, Stan Kannegieter ’19, and Diana Trevino ’20 presented their research at the Economics Scholars Undergraduate Research Conference at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Boatwright, under the direction of Professor of Economics Dirk Early and Dr. Paul Brenner, associate director of high-performance computing at the University of Notre Dame, presented her research on the link between intellectual-property protections and patenting, “Global Innovation and Intellectual-Property Rights.” Kannegieter presented his work on the effectiveness of solar incentives in solar adoption, “The Effect of Financial Incentive Policies on Residential Solar Panel Installation,” and Trevino presented her paper on discrimination in jury selection, “Discrimination in Peremptory Challenges.” Assistant Professor of Economics Katie Grooms supervised the projects produced by Kannegieter and Trevino. Grooms was also the keynote speaker at the conference and presented her work “Water Pollution in the United States: Regulatory Enforcement, Firm Compliance, and Human Health.”
Dirk Early received his PhD from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA in 1995 and his BSB from Miami University, Oxford, OH in 1988.
Peer Reviewed Publications:
A Panel of Interarea Price Indices for All Areas in the United States, 1982-2012. (with Paul Carrilo, George Washington University, and Edgar Olsen, University of Virginia). Journal of Housing Economics, 2014.
Geographical Price Variation, Housing Assistance and Poverty. (with Edgar Olsen, University of Virginia) in Philip M. Jefferson (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of the Economics of Poverty, Oxford University Press, 2012.
An Empirical Investigation of the Determinants of Street Homelessness. Journal of Housing Economics, Vol. 14, No. 1, March 2005.
The Determinants of Homelessness and the Targeting of Housing Assistance. Journal of Urban Economics, Vol. 55, No. 1, January 2004.
Subsidized Housing, Emergency Shelters, and Homelessness: An Empirical Investigation Using Data from the 1990 Census. (with Edgar Olsen, University of Virginia.) Advances in Economic Analysis & Policy, Vol. 2: No. 1, Article 2, 2002.
Rent Control, Rental Housing Supply, and the Distribution of Tenant Benefits. Journal of Urban Economics, Volume 48, Number 2, September 2000.
The Effects of Rent Regulations on Price in the Uncontrolled Sector: An Empirical Investigation using Data from the AHS. (with Jon Phelps, Southwestern University.) Journal of Housing Research, Volume 10, Issue 2, December 1999.
A Microeconomic Model of Homelessness: An Empirical Investigation Using Choice-Based Sampling. Journal of Housing Economics, Volume 8, Number 4, December 1999. The Role of Subsidized Housing in Reducing Homelessness: An Empirical Investigation Using Micro-Data. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, Volume 17, Number 4, Fall 1998.
Rent Control and Homelessness. (with Edgar Olsen, University of Virginia.) Regional Science and Urban Economics, Volume 28, Number 6, November 1998.
Non-Peer Reviewed Publications:
Medicaid, Managed Care and the Health of Children in Texas. (with Mary Young, Southwestern University). In The Status of Women: Facing the Facts, Forging the Future: Proceedings of the Symposium held in Washington, D.C., June 8-10, 2001, edited by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, 2002.
Grants:
US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Research for Assisted Housing II Grants Program, Title: Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Rents of Constant Quality Units in the Housing Choice Voucher Program: Evidence from HUDs Customer Satisfaction Survey, 2010.
US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Research for Assisted Housing II Grants Program, Title: Metropolitan Area Cost of Rental Housing Indices Using the Customer Satisfaction Survey, 2006.
Dirk Early received his PhD from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA in 1995 and his BSB from Miami University, Oxford, OH in 1988.
Peer Reviewed Publications:
A Panel of Interarea Price Indices for All Areas in the United States, 1982-2012. (with Paul Carrilo, George Washington University, and Edgar Olsen, University of Virginia). Journal of Housing Economics, 2014.
Geographical Price Variation, Housing Assistance and Poverty. (with Edgar Olsen, University of Virginia) in Philip M. Jefferson (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of the Economics of Poverty, Oxford University Press, 2012.
An Empirical Investigation of the Determinants of Street Homelessness. Journal of Housing Economics, Vol. 14, No. 1, March 2005.
The Determinants of Homelessness and the Targeting of Housing Assistance. Journal of Urban Economics, Vol. 55, No. 1, January 2004.
Subsidized Housing, Emergency Shelters, and Homelessness: An Empirical Investigation Using Data from the 1990 Census. (with Edgar Olsen, University of Virginia.) Advances in Economic Analysis & Policy, Vol. 2: No. 1, Article 2, 2002.
Rent Control, Rental Housing Supply, and the Distribution of Tenant Benefits. Journal of Urban Economics, Volume 48, Number 2, September 2000.
The Effects of Rent Regulations on Price in the Uncontrolled Sector: An Empirical Investigation using Data from the AHS. (with Jon Phelps, Southwestern University.) Journal of Housing Research, Volume 10, Issue 2, December 1999.
A Microeconomic Model of Homelessness: An Empirical Investigation Using Choice-Based Sampling. Journal of Housing Economics, Volume 8, Number 4, December 1999. The Role of Subsidized Housing in Reducing Homelessness: An Empirical Investigation Using Micro-Data. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, Volume 17, Number 4, Fall 1998.
Rent Control and Homelessness. (with Edgar Olsen, University of Virginia.) Regional Science and Urban Economics, Volume 28, Number 6, November 1998.
Non-Peer Reviewed Publications:
Medicaid, Managed Care and the Health of Children in Texas. (with Mary Young, Southwestern University). In The Status of Women: Facing the Facts, Forging the Future: Proceedings of the Symposium held in Washington, D.C., June 8-10, 2001, edited by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, 2002.
Grants:
US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Research for Assisted Housing II Grants Program, Title: Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Rents of Constant Quality Units in the Housing Choice Voucher Program: Evidence from HUDs Customer Satisfaction Survey, 2010.
US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Research for Assisted Housing II Grants Program, Title: Metropolitan Area Cost of Rental Housing Indices Using the Customer Satisfaction Survey, 2006.
In the News
Southwestern professors Saroj Dhital and Dirk Early explain the impacts of the pandemic on the U.S. economy.
The Hugh Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair in Economics shares his thoughts on his students, his dream vacation, and his 26 years at Southwestern.