Dr Margaret Leighton
Senior Lecturer
Biography
Dr Margaret Leighton joined the University of St Andrews in 2015, after receiving her PhD from the Toulouse School of Economics. Originally from Canada, she completed her undergraduates studies at Mount Allison University in Economics.
Research areas
Margaret uses data to answer questions and to test economic hypotheses. While education is her primary field of interest, she has also worked on projects in development economics and labour economics. In recent research, she has gathered and analysed data to better understand how education policies shape students’ school choices and performance, and how those choices determine important later outcomes such as occupations, wages, and career satisfaction.
Links:
PhD supervision
- Jakub Kowalczyk
- Mercy Rugut
- Kairat Umargaliyev
Selected publications
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Open access
Family background and college major choice: evidence on major earnings growth
Leighton, M. A. & Speer, J., 9 Jun 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Education Finance and Policy. Early Access, p. 1-25Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Teachers on the move: evidence from a large-scale learning intervention during lockdown
Bhatia, K. & Leighton, M., 24 Apr 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Journal of Development Studies. Latest Articles, 19 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
The causal effect of parenting style on early child development
Leighton, M., Martine, A., Massaga, J. & Bunzari, E., Jul 2024, Providence, RI: Annenberg Institute at Brown University, 43 p. (EdWorkingPapers; no. 24-996).Research output: Working paper
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Open access
Fostering early childhood development in low-resource communities: evidence from a group-based parenting intervention in Tanzania
Leighton, M. A., Martine, A. & Massaga, J., 1 Oct 2023, In: World Development. 170, 23 p., 106335.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Major-occupation match quality: an empirical measure based on relative productivity
Leighton, M. A. & Speer, J. D., 1 Jan 2023, In: The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis and Policy. 23, 1, p. 285-292 8 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
How to make decentralization work? Evidence from a capacity-building intervention in local governance
Bhatia, K. & Leighton, M., 30 Nov 2022, St Andrews: University of St Andrews, 38 p. (School of Economics and Finance Discussion Paper; no. 2206).Research output: Working paper
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Open access
Mother tongue reading materials as a bridge to literacy
Leighton, M. A., Dec 2022, In: Economics of Education Review. 91, 102312.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Mother tongue reading materials as a bridge to literacy
Leighton, M., 29 Jun 2021, St Andrews: University of St Andrews, p. 1-54, (School of Economics and Finance Discussion Paper; no. 2101).Research output: Working paper › Discussion paper
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Open access
Labor market returns to college major specificity
Leighton, M. & Speer, J., Sept 2020, In: European Economic Review. 128, 103489.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Social promotion in primary school: effects on grade progression
Leighton, M. A., Souza, P. & Straub, S., 26 Jul 2019, In: Brazilian Review of Econometrics. 39, 1, p. 1-33Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review