Dr. Singleton began his career as a research economist at the Institute of Industrial Relations at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he participated in numerous path-breaking research projects. After completing his doctoral studies, he accepted a position in Washington, D.C. at the Research Office of Manpower Administration in the United States Department of Labor and subsequently in Sacramento, California at the Assembly Office of Research in the California Legislature. In both of these positions, he designed and conducted research projects in the area of job training and development, urban economic growth and development, education finance and governance, and municipal finance and taxation reform.