Career Earnings
What can economists expect to earn in different fields?
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook (online in 2026) reports annual wages for economists. For economists of all educational levels, the median earnings in 2025 were $124,720 with $67,360 at the tenth percentile and $238,060 at the 90th percentile.
Median Annual Wages for Economists in May 2025 in the Top Five Industries Employing Economists (from the Occupation Outlook Handbook)
| Industry | Annual Wage |
| Federal government, excluding postal service | $144,680 |
| Management, scientific, and technical consulting services | $141,010 |
| Scientific research and development services | $139,880 |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | $100,370 |
| State and local government, excluding education and hospitals | $78,080 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Economists. (Visited September 22, 2026).
Payscale.com reports its survey of people with Baccalaureate degrees (and no more) who are employed full time, showing starting salaries (typically with two-years of experience) and mid-career annual earnings.
For more information about academic salaries in economics, check out the Universal Academic Questionnaire (UAQ) published each year in AEA Papers and Proceedings. The UAQ is a survey of US economics departments taken each fall. One survey is addressed to the chair of the Department of Economics of each institution. Another resource is the annual "Survey of the Labor Market for New PhD Hires in Economics" conducted by the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Arkansas.