He studied his undergraduate degree at Wits University, and received his PhD from the University of Michigan. He has taught at Wits, UCT, Michigan, and Yale. His research focuses on socio-economic issues in South Africa, including the labour market, poverty and unemployment, inequality, and education. Dr. Ranchhod has published in several journals such as the Journal of Development Economics, Economics of Education Review, Studies in Family Planning and the South African Journal of Economics.