Research Expertise
Quantitative Analysis of Administrative Data
Quantitative researchers at the Heldrich Center have a wealth of experience in various quantitative methods, including survey research, descriptive analysis, and regression analysis.
Unique and proprietary to the Heldrich Center is access to administrative data stored in the New Jersey Statewide Data System (NJSDS). NJSDS contains data from the New Jersey Department of Education, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, and the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education. The restricted individual data sources shared through these agencies are stored, linked, and managed by Heldrich Center quantitative research staff.
Using such data, researchers can examine demographics and background characteristics such as age, ethnicity, schooling, and socioeconomic status. NJSDS is a powerful, rich data source for longitudinal studies examining trends and trajectories. For example, many of the projects at the Heldrich Center follow cohorts of individuals that they can track over an extended period. Center researchers may study people in their journeys from K–12 schools to the labor market. Researchers can analyze by academic year, employment, and wages to find out how much individuals earn in subsequent years following graduation. Another Center project highlights a landscape analysis of teachers in New Jersey, which includes their demographic breakdowns and attrition rate.