Economists — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$124,720
United States, 2025
Employment
17,790
United States, 2025
Typical education
Master's Degree
Job Zone 5
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
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.
- O*NET code
- 19-3011.00
- Job zone
- 5
- Experience required
- None
Typical tasks
- Study economic and statistical data in area of specialization, such as finance, labor, or agriculture.
- Compile, analyze, and report data to explain economic phenomena and forecast market trends, applying mathematical models and statistical techniques.
- 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.
- Formulate recommendations, policies, or plans to solve economic problems or to interpret markets.
- Supervise research projects and students' study projects.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$67,360
25th percentile
$89,330
75th percentile
$174,720
90th percentile
$238,060
Most important skills
- Reading Comprehension4.1
- Mathematics4.1
- Critical Thinking4.1
- Judgment and Decision Making4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Writing4.0
- Active Learning3.8
- Complex Problem Solving3.8
- Instructing3.3
- Systems Evaluation3.3
- Systems Analysis3.1
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 19 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
19
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.1 | 4.8 | Not selected | 4.8 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.1 | 4.8 | Not selected | 4.8 |
| Speaking | 4.0 | 4.4 | Not selected | 4.4 |
| Writing | 4.0 | 4.4 | Not selected | 4.4 |
| Mathematics | 4.1 | 4.3 | Not selected | 4.3 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.0 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.8 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.8 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.1 | 3.9 | Not selected | 3.9 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.3 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.1 | 3.8 | Not selected | 3.8 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Persuasion | 3.0 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Instructing | 3.3 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Service Orientation | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
Supplemental
National median $78,660
Compare with EconomistsSupplemental
National median $78,760
Compare with EconomistsHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $176,090 | 850 | 2025 |
| DC | $167,590 | 3,000 | 2025 |
| NJ | $167,550 | 280 | 2025 |
| DE | $159,120 | 70 | 2025 |
| Washington, DC | $156,750 | 4,570 | 2025 |
| Baltimore, MD | $152,730 | 110 | 2025 |
| Durham, NC | $152,130 | 120 | 2025 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $151,510 | 200 | 2025 |
| MD | $144,680 | 1,130 | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | $142,400 | 200 | 2025 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $139,530 | 220 | 2025 |
| KS | $138,790 | 80 | 2025 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $138,260 | 30 | 2025 |
| VA | $137,590 | 950 | 2025 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $136,990 | 30 | 2025 |
| NY | $136,660 | 910 | 2025 |
| NC | $136,150 | 290 | 2025 |
| St. Louis, MO | $132,630 | 90 | 2025 |
| ID | $131,270 | 130 | 2025 |
| AL | $129,960 | 40 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Economists to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.