Mark Rank

Mark R. Rank is widely recognized as a foremost expert on issues of poverty, inequality, and social justice.  His research on the lifetime risk of poverty has been groundbreaking, demonstrating for the first time that a majority of Americans will experience poverty at some point during their lives.

To date he has written a dozen books on a range of subjects, including a new understanding of poverty, an exploration of the American Dream, and the role of rugged individualism in shaping patterns of inequality.  His most recent book is entitled, The Random Factor: How Chance and Luck Profoundly Shape Our Lives and the World Around Us.   In addition, he has published articles in many academic journals across a wide variety of fields.

Dr. Rank is the recipient of numerous awards over the years for his scholarship, books, and teaching, and his research is widely reported throughout the national and international news media.  His work is frequently discussed in major news outlets, including various programs on NPR, NBC, CBS, CNN, PBS, BBC, and others.  He has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, Guardian, Time Magazine, Globe and Mail, USA Today, Chronicle of Higher Education, and many more.

He has also provided expertise and advice to members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, the White House, and many national organizations involved in issues of economic and social justice.  His research was cited by then-President Barack Obama in a major speech on economic mobility, as well as by former presidential candidates Senator Bernie Sanders and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Prof. Rank has developed a website, Confronting Poverty,  that allows users to explore in greater depth the issues of poverty and economic inequality. The site, whose centerpiece is an innovative poverty risk calculator, is being used in universities and high schools across the country, along with various social justice and community organizations. To date, the website has had over 2 million page views with visitors from more than 200 countries.

In Brown School News

Rank was finalist for three book awards
July 21, 2025

Life Is More Random Than We Realize
April 4, 2024

WashU Expert: March Madness Has Less Luck Than You Might Think
March 6, 2024

WashU Expert: Expanded Child Tax Credit Would Ultimately Save Money, Reduce Poverty
January 23, 2024

National Awards Honor Rank’s Recent Book
June 23, 2023