How much does an economist make?
Median yearly pay in the United States: half earn more and half earn less. That is $59.96 an hour or $10,390 a month.
- Hourly
- $59.96
- Average (mean)
- $142,100
- Jobs
- 17,790
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $67,360 | $32.38 | |
| 25th | $89,330 | $42.95 | |
| Median | $124,700 | $59.96 | |
| 75th | $174,700 | $84.00 | |
| 90th | $238,100 | $114.45 |
By state
Median yearly pay.
| District of Columbia | $167,600 |
| New Jersey | $167,600 |
| Delaware | $159,100 |
| Maryland | $144,700 |
| Kansas | $138,800 |
| Virginia | $137,600 |
| New York | $136,700 |
| North Carolina | $136,200 |
| Idaho | $131,300 |
| Alabama | $130,000 |
| Georgia | $122,600 |
| Oregon | $122,100 |
| Texas | $121,400 |
| Colorado | $121,400 |
| Ohio | $120,000 |
| California | $119,400 |
| Tennessee | $117,700 |
| Missouri | $117,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $115,000 |
| Alaska | $111,000 |
| Washington | $109,300 |
| Massachusetts | $106,400 |
| Michigan | $106,400 |
| Minnesota | $105,100 |
| Florida | $102,400 |
| Connecticut | $101,400 |
| Iowa | $96,310 |
| Arkansas | $91,560 |
| Maine | $91,480 |
| Nevada | $91,340 |
| Oklahoma | $89,980 |
| Montana | $89,340 |
| New Hampshire | $86,130 |
| Wisconsin | $84,000 |
| Hawaii | $83,050 |
| Indiana | $80,750 |
| Arizona | $79,610 |
| Nebraska | $75,880 |
| Louisiana | $73,050 |
| Kentucky | $71,400 |
Highest paying cities
Metro areas, median yearly pay.
| New York, NY | $176,100 |
| Washington, DC | $156,800 |
| Baltimore, MD | $152,700 |
| Durham, NC | $152,100 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $151,500 |
| San Francisco, CA | $142,400 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $139,500 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $138,300 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $137,000 |
| St. Louis, MO | $132,600 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $129,000 |
| Kansas City, MO | $128,500 |
| Seattle, WA | $126,400 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $125,200 |
| Salem, OR | $124,200 |
In other countries
Economist belongs to the international group "Economists".
Compare pay in 140 countriesSimilar jobs
- Survey Researcher$69,460
- Industrial-Organizational Psychologist$194,000
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologist$100,600
- School Psychologist$95,990
- Psychologist$110,800
- Sociologist$106,000
- Urban and Regional Planner$89,320
- Anthropologist and Archeologist$70,770
- Geographer$102,000
- Historian$76,750
Frequently asked questions
How much does an economist make an hour?
The median hourly pay is $59.96 ($124,700 a year).
How much does an economist make a month?
About $10,390 a month before tax, based on a median of $124,700 a year.
How much does an economist make starting out?
The lowest-paid 10% make $67,360 or less a year ($32.38 an hour); the top 10% make $238,100 or more.
Which state pays economists the most?
District of Columbia, with a median of $167,600 a year, followed by New Jersey ($167,600) and Delaware ($159,100).
Which city pays economists the most?
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, with a median of $176,100 a year.
How many economists are there in the United States?
About 17,790 people work as economists.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.