Thomas W. Gilligan (born August 21, 1954) is an American economist who was the Tad and Dianne Taube Director of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University from 2015 to 2020.

Prior to taking over as head of the Stanford-based think tank, he served as dean of the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin.

Before completing his PhD under Barry R. Weingast at Washington University, Gilligan was a staff economist on the Council of Economic Advisers under President Ronald Reagan from 1982–1983.

At the Marshall School, Gilligan was the interim dean for over a year from February 2006 until James G. Ellis replaced him in April 2007.

After a nationwide search, Gilligan was appointed dean of the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin in 2008.