Riley Acton is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Miami University and a Research Affiliate at the Institute of Labor Economics (IZA). Her research focuses on the economics of education and has been published in scholarly outlets such as the Journal of Labor Economics, the Journal of Health Economics, and Education Finance & Policy. She has also contributed to articles in the national media, including in the New York Times, CNN, and Fortune Magazine.

Prior to joining the faculty at Miami, Riley earned her Ph.D. in economics from Michigan State University and her bachelor's degree from Ursinus College.