How Interdisciplinary Research Affects Tenure Decision at Elite Economics Departments: Evidence from 2000-2024

Interdisciplinary research (IDR) has gained prominence for addressing complex societal challenges, yet its impact on academic tenure in economics remains unclear. This study examined how IDR influences tenure decisions in elite North American economics departments, using propensity score matching on curriculum vitae data from 553 tenure-track faculty at top 50 universities (2000–2024). Conducting IDR showed no significant effect on tenure success. However, other factors substantially influenced outcomes: Hispanic/Latino scholars faced dramatically reduced odds of tenure acceptance; each additional year between bachelor's and PhD decreased the likelihood by 10%; and T5 journal publications significantly increased the odds. While IDR does not disadvantage economists, systemic biases persist with respect to ethnicity, educational trajectory, journal prestige, and institutional hierarchy. These findings reveal that elite departments maintain implicit hierarchical structures that limit diversity and innovation in scholarship.