Loeb specializes in the economics of education and the relationship between schools and federal, state and local policies. Much of her research addresses teacher policy, looking specifically at how teachers' preferences affect the distribution of teaching quality across schools, how pre-service coursework requirements affect the quality of teacher candidates, and how reforms affect teachers’ career decisions. Her related work on school leadership examines the career histories of principals as well as their day-to-day behaviors and skills associated with student learning. She also studies school leadership and school finance, for example looking at how the structure of state finance systems affects the level and distribution of resources across schools. Susanna is a senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Econmic Research, a faculty research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research, a member of the policy council of the Assocation for Policy Analysis and Management, and Co-Editor of Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis.