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Economist salary
Average economist salary
$109,102
Understanding Economist Salaries
The average salary for an Economist in the United States is approximately $109,102 per year, translating to around $52 per hour. Salaries can vary based on several factors including education, experience, and geographical location. For example, economists in states such as California and New York often earn higher wages compared to those in less urbanized areas.
Economists work in diverse industries including finance, government, and academia. The highest-paying positions are typically found in consulting firms and large corporations, where the demand for skilled analysts is significant. Specialties such as environmental economics and labor economics are also on the rise, offering lucrative opportunities.
To enhance earning potential, pursuing advanced degrees or certifications can be beneficial. Continuous professional development and networking in relevant fields can lead to better job prospects and higher salaries. Understanding the nuances of salaries across different sectors is crucial for anyone considering a career as an economist.
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Where can an Economist earn more?
Economist salary estimates from across the web
Average economist salary by state
The average economist salary in Montana, South Dakota, and Oklahoma are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average economist salary states are Wisconsin, Wyoming, and Nebraska.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for economists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $133,286 | $64.08 |
| 2 | Washington | $112,309 | $53.99 |
| 3 | New York | $115,621 | $55.59 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $111,410 | $53.56 |
| 5 | Vermont | $111,619 | $53.66 |
| 6 | Virginia | $108,871 | $52.34 |
| 7 | Oklahoma | $115,724 | $55.64 |
| 8 | Montana | $122,971 | $59.12 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $103,218 | $49.62 |
| 10 | Alaska | $105,466 | $50.70 |
| 11 | Iowa | $106,886 | $51.39 |
| 12 | South Dakota | $118,192 | $56.82 |
| 13 | Missouri | $101,909 | $48.99 |
| 14 | California | $107,622 | $51.74 |
| 15 | Maryland | $101,081 | $48.60 |
| 16 | West Virginia | $100,988 | $48.55 |
| 17 | Delaware | $99,631 | $47.90 |
| 18 | Illinois | $97,758 | $47.00 |
| 19 | Kansas | $102,205 | $49.14 |
| 20 | Utah | $100,906 | $48.51 |
| 21 | Maine | $103,517 | $49.77 |
| 22 | Colorado | $97,285 | $46.77 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $98,496 | $47.35 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $90,494 | $43.51 |
| 25 | Nevada | $96,140 | $46.22 |
| 26 | South Carolina | $96,645 | $46.46 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $94,774 | $45.56 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $92,552 | $44.50 |
| 29 | Oregon | $90,629 | $43.57 |
| 30 | Texas | $90,142 | $43.34 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $96,656 | $46.47 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $90,129 | $43.33 |
| 33 | Minnesota | $90,938 | $43.72 |
| 34 | New Hampshire | $93,291 | $44.85 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $85,253 | $40.99 |
| 36 | Michigan | $87,695 | $42.16 |
| 37 | Indiana | $84,741 | $40.74 |
| 38 | Ohio | $82,994 | $39.90 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $81,389 | $39.13 |
| 40 | Wyoming | $62,910 | $30.25 |
| 41 | Pennsylvania | $77,708 | $37.36 |
| 42 | New Jersey | $82,027 | $39.44 |
| 43 | Idaho | $65,994 | $31.73 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $61,127 | $29.39 |
| 45 | Georgia | $82,820 | $39.82 |
| 46 | Arizona | $65,726 | $31.60 |
| 47 | Alabama | $73,836 | $35.50 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $62,359 | $29.98 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $64,442 | $30.98 |
| 50 | Florida | $57,725 | $27.75 |
| 51 | Tennessee | $59,753 | $28.73 |
Highest paying cities for economists
The highest-paying cities for economists are Washington, DC, Harrison, NY, and Sacramento, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $133,800 | $64.33 |
| 2 | Harrison, NY | $115,868 | $55.71 |
| 3 | Sacramento, CA | $114,236 | $54.92 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $112,814 | $54.24 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $111,342 | $53.53 |
| 6 | McLean, VA | $110,175 | $52.97 |
| 7 | Kansas City, KS | $103,094 | $49.56 |
| 8 | Saint Louis, MO | $102,888 | $49.47 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $101,216 | $48.66 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $98,105 | $47.17 |
| 11 | Denver, CO | $97,167 | $46.71 |
| 12 | Providence, RI | $96,650 | $46.47 |
| 13 | Stamford, CT | $94,661 | $45.51 |
| 14 | Plano, TX | $93,812 | $45.10 |
| 15 | Charlotte, NC | $91,272 | $43.88 |
| 16 | Portland, OR | $90,534 | $43.53 |
| 17 | Cleveland, OH | $83,742 | $40.26 |
| 18 | Chamblee, GA | $83,684 | $40.23 |
| 19 | Baton Rouge, LA | $81,165 | $39.02 |
| 20 | Philadelphia, PA | $77,822 | $37.41 |
Economist salary details
An economist's salary ranges from $73,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $162,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an economist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $162,000 | $13,500 | $78 |
| 75th Percentile | $134,000 | $11,167 | $64 |
| Average | $109,102 | $9,092 | $52 |
| 25th Percentile | $88,000 | $7,333 | $42 |
| 10th Percentile | $73,000 | $6,083 | $35 |
Highest paying economist jobs
The highest paying types of economists are economist research assistant, senior economist, and econometrician.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economic Development Internship | $37,977 | $3,165 | $18.26 | 92,622 |
| Economic Developer | $51,285 | $4,274 | $24.66 | 72,804 |
| Agricultural Economist | $71,697 | $5,975 | $34.47 | 1,119 |
| Energy Economist | $58,368 | $4,864 | $28.06 | 3,512 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for economists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Pattabiraman Neelakantan Ph.D.
Professor of Economics, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
Top companies hiring economists now:
Which companies pay economists the most?
Economist salaries at Cornerstone Research and Davis Polk & Wardwell are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average economist salary at companies like Shell and Federal Reserve Bank Services are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cornerstone Research | $180,549 | $86.80 |
| 2 | Davis Polk & Wardwell | $171,810 | $82.60 |
| 3 | Shell Trading | $164,414 | $79.05 |
| 4 | Federal Reserve Bank Services | $163,227 | $78.47 |
| 5 | Federal Reserve Bank of New York | $162,890 | $78.31 |
| 6 | U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission | $161,907 | $77.84 |
| 7 | Federal Reserve Bank of Boston | $161,042 | $77.42 |
| 8 | Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco | $158,029 | $75.98 |
| 9 | McKinsey & Company Inc | $157,656 | $75.80 |
| 10 | Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas | $156,968 | $75.47 |
| 11 | Boston Consulting Group | $155,736 | $74.87 |
| 12 | Federal Reserve | $151,759 | $72.96 |
| 13 | Analysis Group | $147,677 | $71.00 |
| 14 | Baker McKenzie | $145,097 | $69.76 |
| 15 | eBay | $143,223 | $68.86 |
| 16 | $142,086 | $68.31 | |
| 17 | Littler Mendelson | $140,890 | $67.74 |
| 18 | DLA Piper | $140,542 | $67.57 |
| 19 | LECG Corp | $140,462 | $67.53 |
| 20 | Genentech | $139,030 | $66.84 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Economist salary by industry
The average economist salary varies across industries:
- The average economist salary in the professional industry is $122,496, the highest of any industry.
- The average economist salary in the finance industry is $121,880.
- Economists in the government industry earn an average salary of $97,037, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for economists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $122,496 | $58.89 |
| 2 | Finance | $121,880 | $58.60 |
| 3 | Telecommunication | $120,960 | $58.15 |
| 4 | Technology | $120,081 | $57.73 |
| 5 | Government | $97,037 | $46.65 |
High paying economist jobs
Economist salary trends
The average economist salary has risen by $17,924 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average economist earned $91,178 annually, but today, they earn $109,102 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for economists over the last decade.
Compare economist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average economist salary over time
Compare economist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Economist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $109,000 | $52.45 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $106,000 | $50.84 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | $105,000 | $50.51 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $103,000 | $49.62 | +1.4% |
| 2021 | $102,000 | $48.92 | +1.9% |
Recently added economist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Minnesota | Extension Economist | Minneapolis, MN | 06/30/2025 | $84,000 |
| Ziprecruiter | Labor Economist, Media Spokesperson | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $131,481 |
| J.S. Held | Economist | Clay, CA | 06/28/2025 | $150,000 |
| Ziprecruiter | Labor Economist, Media Spokesperson | Washington, DC | 06/28/2025 | $131,481 |
| Natixis | Junior Economist, Americas | New York, NY | 06/27/2025 | $100,000 |
| Ziprecruiter | Labor Economist, Media Spokesperson | Santa Monica, CA | 06/26/2025 | $131,481 |
| Ziprecruiter | Labor Economist, Media Spokesperson | Ione, WA | 06/26/2025 | $131,481 |
| Amazon.com, Inc. | Economist II, P2 Science, Data, and Insights | Seattle, WA | 06/21/2025 | $136,000 |
| Amazon.com, Inc. | Economist I, People Experience Technology Central Science | Arlington, VA | 06/20/2025 | $116,300 |
| Amazon | Economist, Seller Fees Science | Sunnyvale, CA | 06/17/2025 | $136,000 |
Economist salary FAQs
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