19 Series · SOC 19-3011
Economists Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $124,720
- Median / year
- $238,060
- Top 10% earn
- +1.2%
- Growth '23–'33
- 17,790
- US workers
Economists earn a median of $124,720 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $124,720, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $67,360 (10th percentile) to $238,060 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 17,790 US workers. District of Columbia pays the most ($167,590), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Economists earn a median of $124,720, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 91% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks #6 of 48 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 1.2% by 2033.
- $124,720
- Median annual wage
- Top 9%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #6 of 48
- in Life, Physical, and Social Science
- 3.5×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $167,590. Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.
Economists (SOC 19-3011) pays a national median of $124,720 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $67,360 at the 10th percentile to $238,060 at the 90th, with a mean of $142,130 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 17,790 Americans work in this occupation across 41 reporting states and 65 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +1.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 900 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Master's degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 1.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.7 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $167,590, which is +34% above the national figure. The top metro is New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ at $176,090 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$124,720
per year
Median Hourly
$59.96/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$142,130
average
Employment
17,790
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Economists pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$124,720 Top 9% higher than 91% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 19-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Economists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 19-series occupations with growth data, Economists sits on the slower-growing side at +1.2% growth and $124,720 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+1.2%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
900
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Master's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
1.5/100K
Injury Rate
0.7/100
Danger Index
3.6/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Economists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Study economic and statistical data in area of specialization, such as finance, labor, or agriculture.
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Compile, analyze, and report data to explain economic phenomena and forecast market trends, applying mathematical models and statistical techniques.
- ▸ Collect and analyze data to compare the environmental implications of economic policy or practice alternatives.
- ▸ Study the socioeconomic impacts of new public policies, such as proposed legislation, taxes, services, and regulations.
- ▸ Explain economic impact of policies to the public.
- ▸ Review documents written by others.
- ▸ Provide advice and consultation on economic relationships to businesses, public and private agencies, and other employers.
- ▸ Assess the costs and benefits of various activities, policies, or regulations that affect the environment or natural resource stocks.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$67,360
25th Percentile
$89,330
Median
$124,720
75th Percentile
$174,720
90th Percentile
$238,060
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 41 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $167,590 | +34% above national |
| 2 | New Jersey | $167,550 | +34% above national |
| 3 | Delaware | $159,120 | +28% above national |
| 4 | Maryland | $144,680 | +16% above national |
| 5 | Kansas | $138,790 | +11% above national |
| 6 | Virginia | $137,590 | +10% above national |
| 7 | New York | $136,660 | +10% above national |
| 8 | North Carolina | $136,150 | +9% above national |
| 9 | Idaho | $131,270 | +5% above national |
| 10 | Alabama | $129,960 | +4% above national |
| 11 | Georgia | $122,570 | 2% below national |
| 12 | Oregon | $122,120 | 2% below national |
| 13 | Texas | $121,420 | 3% below national |
| 14 | Colorado | $121,410 | 3% below national |
| 15 | Ohio | $120,000 | 4% below national |
| 16 | California | $119,410 | 4% below national |
| 17 | Tennessee | $117,650 | 6% below national |
| 18 | Missouri | $117,010 | 6% below national |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $115,000 | 8% below national |
| 20 | Alaska | $111,040 | 11% below national |
| 21 | Washington | $109,300 | 12% below national |
| 22 | Massachusetts | $106,380 | 15% below national |
| 23 | Michigan | $106,350 | 15% below national |
| 24 | Minnesota | $105,120 | 16% below national |
| 25 | Florida | $102,430 | 18% below national |
| 26 | Connecticut | $101,400 | 19% below national |
| 27 | Iowa | $96,310 | 23% below national |
| 28 | Arkansas | $91,560 | 27% below national |
| 29 | Maine | $91,480 | 27% below national |
| 30 | Nevada | $91,340 | 27% below national |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $89,980 | 28% below national |
| 32 | Montana | $89,340 | 28% below national |
| 33 | New Hampshire | $86,130 | 31% below national |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $84,000 | 33% below national |
| 35 | Hawaii | $83,050 | 33% below national |
| 36 | Indiana | $80,750 | 35% below national |
| 37 | Arizona | $79,610 | 36% below national |
| 38 | Nebraska | $75,880 | 39% below national |
| 39 | Louisiana | $73,050 | 41% below national |
| 40 | Kentucky | $71,400 | 43% below national |
| 41 | Puerto Rico | $70,750 | 43% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 65 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $176,090 | +41% above national |
| 2 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $156,750 | +26% above national |
| 3 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $152,730 | +22% above national |
| 4 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $152,130 | +22% above national |
| 5 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $151,510 | +21% above national |
| 6 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $142,400 | +14% above national |
| 7 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $139,530 | +12% above national |
| 8 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $138,260 | +11% above national |
| 9 | Jacksonville, FL | $136,990 | +10% above national |
| 10 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $134,510 | +8% above national |
| 11 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $132,630 | +6% above national |
| 12 | Ann Arbor, MI | $128,960 | +3% above national |
| 13 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $128,520 | +3% above national |
| 14 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $126,420 | +1% above national |
| 15 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $125,160 | same as national |
| 16 | Salem, OR | $124,190 | same as national |
| 17 | Pittsburgh, PA | $122,980 | 1% below national |
| 18 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $122,750 | 2% below national |
| 19 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $122,570 | 2% below national |
| 20 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $122,170 | 2% below national |
| 21 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $122,120 | 2% below national |
| 22 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $121,410 | 3% below national |
| 23 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $121,410 | 3% below national |
| 24 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $120,740 | 3% below national |
| 25 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $118,030 | 5% below national |
| 26 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $117,920 | 5% below national |
| 27 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $117,600 | 6% below national |
| 28 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $116,990 | 6% below national |
| 29 | Richmond, VA | $112,330 | 10% below national |
| 30 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $111,040 | 11% below national |
| 31 | Anchorage, AK | $109,480 | 12% below national |
| 32 | Oklahoma City, OK | $108,620 | 13% below national |
| 33 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $108,140 | 13% below national |
| 34 | Boulder, CO | $107,870 | 14% below national |
| 35 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $107,450 | 14% below national |
| 36 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $107,030 | 14% below national |
| 37 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $106,350 | 15% below national |
| 38 | Cleveland, OH | $105,340 | 16% below national |
| 39 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $103,690 | 17% below national |
| 40 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $103,600 | 17% below national |
| 41 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $103,000 | 17% below national |
| 42 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $102,430 | 18% below national |
| 43 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $100,410 | 19% below national |
| 44 | Worcester, MA | $99,990 | 20% below national |
| 45 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $99,200 | 20% below national |
| 46 | Albuquerque, NM | $96,870 | 22% below national |
| 47 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $96,720 | 22% below national |
| 48 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $96,310 | 23% below national |
| 49 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $96,030 | 23% below national |
| 50 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $94,030 | 25% below national |
| 51 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $93,830 | 25% below national |
| 52 | Helena, MT | $89,340 | 28% below national |
| 53 | Madison, WI | $88,770 | 29% below national |
| 54 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $88,320 | 29% below national |
| 55 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $87,350 | 30% below national |
| 56 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $85,000 | 32% below national |
| 57 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $80,010 | 36% below national |
| 58 | Tucson, AZ | $79,610 | 36% below national |
| 59 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $76,900 | 38% below national |
| 60 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $75,510 | 39% below national |
| 61 | Baton Rouge, LA | $74,580 | 40% below national |
| 62 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $70,750 | 43% below national |
| 63 | Tallahassee, FL | $70,430 | 44% below national |
| 64 | Lincoln, NE | $70,400 | 44% below national |
| 65 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $67,110 | 46% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 19 (life physical and social science) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Economists make? ▼
What state pays Economists the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Economists? ▼
How dangerous is being a Economists? ▼
Is Economists a good career? ▼
How does Economists pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Economists? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Economists pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $174,720/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $167,590/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.