How much does a Economists make?

The median annual wage for Economists is $124,720 ($60 per hour). Pay ranges from about $67,360 at the 10th percentile to $238,060 at the 90th percentile.

What is the average salary for a Economists?

The average (mean) annual salary is $142,130, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.

Which state pays Economistss the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $167,590.

Is Economists a growing occupation?

BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 18K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.

What does a Economists do?

Write technical documents or academic articles to communicate study results or economic forecasts.; Conduct research on economic and environmental topics, such as alternative fuel use, public and private land use, soil conservation, air and water pollution control, and endangered species protection.; Collect and analyze data to compare the environmental implications of economic policy or practice alternatives..

Economists Salary

Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations · 18K employed in the U.S.

Median annual

$124,720

Median hourly

$60

Average annual

$142,130

Typical range

$67,360–$238,060

Pay distribution

10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.

10th$67,360

25th$89,330

Median$124,720

75th$174,720

90th$238,060

What this role pays

The median annual salary for Economists is $124,720 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $60 an hour at a full-time schedule.

Conduct research, prepare reports, or formulate plans to address economic problems related to the production and distribution of goods and services or monetary and fiscal policy. May collect and process economic and statistical data using sampling techniques and econometric methods..

Most earn between $67,360 and $238,060 a year. There are roughly 18K people employed as economists in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.

Salary calculator

Convert your pay and see where it lands for Economists.

Pay amountPay period

Hours / weekWeeks / year

Hourly: $59.96
Daily: $480
Weekly: $2,398
Bi-weekly: $4,797
Monthly: $10,393
Annual: $124,720

$124,720 a year is around the 50th percentile for Economistss. The median is $124,720.

Economists — U.S., May 2025
Percentile	Hourly	Annual
10th percentile	$32.40	$67,360
25th percentile	$43.00	$89,330
Median	$60.00	$124,720
75th percentile	$84.00	$174,720
90th percentile	$114.50	$238,060
Average (mean)	$68.30	$142,130
Employment	17,790 people

Key skills

Reading Comprehension
Mathematics
Critical Thinking
Writing
Active Listening
Speaking
Judgment and Decision Making
Active Learning
Complex Problem Solving
Monitoring

Highest-paying states

Median annual wage by state.

1District of Columbia$167,590
2New Jersey$167,550
3Delaware$159,120
4Maryland$144,680
5Kansas$138,790
6Virginia$137,590
7New York$136,660
8North Carolina$136,150
9Idaho$131,270
10Alabama$129,960
11Georgia$122,570
12Oregon$122,120

Top-paying metro areas

Median annual wage by metro area.

1New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$176,090
2Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$156,750
3Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD$152,730
4Durham-Chapel Hill, NC$152,130
5Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$151,510
6San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$142,400
7Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$139,530
8Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN$138,260
9Jacksonville, FL$136,990
10St. Louis, MO-IL$132,630
11Ann Arbor, MI$128,960
12Kansas City, MO-KS$128,520

Related job titles

Employers advertise Economists roles under these titles.

Related occupations

What a Economists does

Write technical documents or academic articles to communicate study results or economic forecasts.
Conduct research on economic and environmental topics, such as alternative fuel use, public and private land use, soil conservation, air and water pollution control, and endangered species protection.
Collect and analyze data to compare the environmental implications of economic policy or practice alternatives.
Assess the costs and benefits of various activities, policies, or regulations that affect the environment or natural resource stocks.
Prepare and deliver presentations to communicate economic and environmental study results, to present policy recommendations, or to raise awareness of environmental consequences.
Develop programs or policy recommendations to achieve environmental goals in cost-effective ways.
Develop economic models, forecasts, or scenarios to predict future economic and environmental outcomes.
Demonstrate or promote the economic benefits of sound environmental regulations.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Economists make?: The median annual wage for Economists is $124,720 ($60 per hour). Pay ranges from about $67,360 at the 10th percentile to $238,060 at the 90th percentile.
What is the average salary for a Economists?: The average (mean) annual salary is $142,130, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
Which state pays Economistss the most?: District of Columbia has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $167,590.
Is Economists a growing occupation?: BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 18K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
What does a Economists do?: Write technical documents or academic articles to communicate study results or economic forecasts.; Conduct research on economic and environmental topics, such as alternative fuel use, public and private land use, soil conservation, air and water pollution control, and endangered species protection.; Collect and analyze data to compare the environmental implications of economic policy or practice alternatives..