Matthew McKetty

I am an applied economist specializing in development working on topics at the intersection, structural change, and trade. I am currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Wisconsin - Madison in the Agricultural and Applied Economics Department. I am on the 2025–2026 economics job market.

I use tools from applied microeconomics, applied econometrics, structural industrial organization, and simulation-based quantitative methods for counterfactual policy analysis. I am particularly interested in the implications of service-sector specialization for economic development in emerging economies in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), and Sub-Saharan Africa.

My dissertation research explores the impacts of tourism-specialization in Jamaica. In my job market paper, I analyze the effects of variations in tourism levels on the welfare of local households. I find that:
1. Gains are concentrated among mid‑skilled urban workers: The gains from tourism accrue primarily to mid-skilled workers in urban areas.
2. Spillovers through non-tourism sectors: The workers that benefit are employed in manufacturing and non‑tourism services, demonstrating a meaningful capacity for spillovers.
3. Limited benefits for low‑skilled or rural households: There are no real welfare improvements for low-skilled workers or rural households.

In the video below, I give a brief overview of my job market paper and its implications for tourism specializing in emerging economies.

ASSA Conference Interview
A short interview about my dissertation and research agenda (opens on Vimeo).
Watch →

Education

  • Ph.D. in Agricultural and Applied Economics University of Wisconsin - Madison (Expected 2026)
    Primary Field: Development Economics
    Secondary Fields: Trade, Structural Change
  • M.S. Agricultural and Applied Economics University of Wisconsin - Madison, 2022
  • B.A. in Economics (Minor: French and Francophone Studies), University of Florida, Cum Laude, 2019