William Oakland

William Horace Oakland (February 21, 1939 – September 17, 2007) was an American Economist and Economics Professor at Tulane University. Born in Chicopee, Massachusetts, Oakland received his BA in economics from the University of Massachusetts in 1961 and Ph.D. in Industrial Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1965.

In addition to being a professor at Tulane University, Oakland served as the Chair of the Economics Department from 1981 to 1987 and from 1992 to 1998, Director of the Murphy Institute of Political Economy from 1980 to 1981, and Director of the Center of Public Policy Studies from 1998 to 2003. Oakland retired from Tulane University in 2003 and died on September 17, 2007.

Prior to teaching at Tulane University, Oakland was the assistant professor of political economy for Johns Hopkins University from 1964 to 1970, associate professor of political economy for Johns Hopkins University from 1970 to 1973, and professor of economics and public administration for Ohio State University from 1973 to 1979.

Oakland contributed to public economics. He authored or co-authored over 40 scientific publications in economic periodicals. Much of Oakland's work focuses on a few key issues such as taxation, public goods, and welfare.