Jay Zagorsky

Research Scientist | Center for Human Resource Research The Ohio State University

  • Columbus OH

Research and data collection expert, focusing on the wealth and income of Americans

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The Ohio State University

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Biography

Jay Zagorsky is an economist and research scientist at The Ohio State University. He has expertise in personal finance, macroeconomics and health economics.

Jay’s research on personal financial topics has looked at many subjects. For example, his research has looked at if you have to be smart to become rich, calculated the impact of divorce on wealth, how much people spend of their inheritances, how long it takes to financially recover from bankruptcy, and understanding how couples perceive the family’s finances among many topics.

Jay has spent years investigating and teaching about macroeconomic issues: His textbook “Business Macroeconomics” covers all aspects of global and national economies. He is able to explain recessions, depressions and other business cycle topics issue. He is also an expert in clarifying for readers changes in the labor market, inflation and GDP.

Jay’s research in health economics has shown that the Freshman 15, the dreaded weight gain during the first year of college is actually a myth. He found that smoking hurts wealth just like it hurts health. His work shows that all types of people -- the rich, the poor and the middle class --
eat fast food. He also tracked the number of women on maternity leave and found that since the 1990s the number has stalled. He has written a number of papers on the impact of obesity in US society and found evidence that food stamp usage is linked to weight gain.

Jay is one of Ohio State’s most widely read bloggers, with numerous in pieces the The Conversation and his own blog. He also has his own YouTube channel called the “The Eclectic Economist.” Beyond his research, Jay has taught approximately 100 courses to about 7,000 students.

Industry Expertise

Research
Writing and Editing
Education/Learning
Human Resources
Management Consulting

Areas of Expertise

National Longitudinal Surveys
Data Collection
Human Resources
Economic Theory

Media Appearances

Mona Charen: Why doesn't college work for blacks?

The Dispatch  

2017-04-17

An Ohio State study found that divorce decreases wealth by an average of 77 percent. Jay Zagorsky, the study's author, counseled: "If you really want to increase your wealth, get married and stay married. On the other hand, divorce can devastate your wealth." ...

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How workers – not companies – are bearing the growing burden of government

The Conversation  

2017-04-11

Tax day is here once more, and tens of millions of Americans will rush to file their income taxes by this year’s deadline of April 18 (rather than April 15 for a variety of reasons)...

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'Cinderella Experience' being offered for prom goers Thursday in Spotsylvania

Fredericksburg.com  

2017-04-05

“Proms should not just be for the elite,” said Jay Zagorsky, economist and research scientist at The Ohio State University in the 2015 Fortune story...

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Recent Research

Number of Women Who Take Maternity Leave Has Stalled

The Ohio State University

2017-01-19

“Given the growing economy and the new state laws, I expected to see an increasing number of women taking maternity leave,” said Jay Zagorsky, author of the study and research scientist at The Ohio State University’s Center for Human Resource Research. “It was surprising and troubling that I didn’t...

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No Joke: Blondes Aren’t Dumb, Science Says

The Ohio State University

2016-03-21

While jokes about blondes may seem harmless to some, it can have real-world implications, said Jay Zagorsky, author of the study and a research scientist at The Ohio State University.

“Research shows that stereotypes often have an impact on hiring, promotions and other social experiences,” Zagorsky said...

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Why Are Fewer People Getting Married?

The Ohio State University

2016-06-03

June kicks off the U.S. wedding season. Whether you love nuptials or hate them, an astounding trend is occuring: fewer couples are tying the knot.

The number of U.S. marriage ceremonies peaked in the early 1980s, when almost 2.5 million marriages were recorded each year. Since then, however, the total number of people getting married has fallen steadily. Now only about two million marriages happen a year, a drop of almost half a million from their peak...

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