Olivia Chen, PhD

About Olivia

Olivia Chen holds a PhD in Higher Education Policy from Stanford University's Graduate School of Education, where her dissertation analyzed the distributional effects of income-driven repayment plans on borrowers of color. She spent 5 years as a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution's Center on Children and Families researching higher education finance policy.

Her academic research has been cited in Congressional testimony before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), and her work has influenced CFPB guidance on student loan servicer standards. Her education finance analysis has appeared in The Atlantic, Education Week, and The Hechinger Report. At MONEYlume, Olivia brings rigorous policy analysis to help borrowers understand not just the rules, but why they exist and what loopholes remain.

Areas of Expertise

• Student loan policy analysis (IDR, PSLF, forgiveness programs)
• College ROI & value-based school selection
• Graduate school funding (fellowships vs. loans)
• Income share agreements (ISAs)
• Cost of college by state & institution type

Featured In & Cited By

• The Atlantic
• Education Week
• The Hechinger Report
• Inside Higher Ed
• Brookings Brief

Career Background

• Brookings Institution, Center on Children & Families (Senior Fellow, 2012–2019)
• Stanford GSE (Research Associate, 2019–2021)

Education: PhD Higher Education Policy, Stanford University GSE · MA Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School · BA Sociology, Princeton University

Editorial Standards

All content by Olivia Chen, PhD is written according to MONEYlume's editorial standards. Facts are verified against primary sources including the IRS, Federal Reserve, CFPB, and peer-reviewed financial research. Articles are updated when regulations or market conditions change significantly.