Marai Hayes, PhD

I am an applied microeconomist with interests in the economics of aging, health and the labor market, and socioeconomic inequality. I study how health shapes economic outcomes across the life course, with a focus on aging populations and the role of structural inequalities in race and socioeconomic status. My current work examines the long-term effects of childhood health on labor markets and wealth, the interaction between health insurance and employment decisions, and the compounding effects of health and racial inequality over the life cycle.

I received my PhD in Health Policy (Economics Track) from Harvard University in 2025, my M.A. in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin in 2018, and a B.S. in Chemistry from Howard University in 2016. 

I am currently on the job market for the 2026-2027 cycle.