Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$67,360
- 25th Percentile — Junior$89,330
- 50th Percentile — Median$124,720
- 75th Percentile — Senior$174,720
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$238,060
The top 10% of Economists earn $238,060 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $67,360, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $175,100 | +23.2% |
| New York | $168,580 | +18.6% |
| Rhode Island (est.) | $163,450 | +15.0% |
| New Jersey | $161,990 | +14.0% |
| Vermont (est.) | $153,500 | +8.0% |
| Kansas | $150,950 | +6.2% |
| Illinois (est.) | $149,236 | +5.0% |
| Delaware | $149,020 | +4.8% |
| Maryland | $146,600 | +3.1% |
| Virginia | $144,880 | +1.9% |
| Utah (est.) | $142,130 | +0.0% |
| North Carolina | $136,220 | -4.2% |
| Texas | $135,080 | -5.0% |
| Missouri | $134,000 | -5.7% |
| California | $133,680 | -5.9% |
| Massachusetts | $133,270 | -6.2% |
| Ohio | $132,380 | -6.9% |
| Wyoming (est.) | $132,181 | -7.0% |
| Georgia | $131,680 | -7.4% |
| North Dakota (est.) | $130,760 | -8.0% |
| Alabama | $127,060 | -10.6% |
| Colorado | $127,020 | -10.6% |
| New Mexico (est.) | $125,074 | -12.0% |
| South Carolina (est.) | $125,074 | -12.0% |
| Tennessee | $123,810 | -12.9% |
| South Dakota (est.) | $123,653 | -13.0% |
| Alaska | $121,300 | -14.7% |
| Washington | $120,550 | -15.2% |
| Idaho | $119,930 | -15.6% |
| Michigan | $117,980 | -17.0% |
| Minnesota | $117,980 | -17.0% |
| Pennsylvania | $117,370 | -17.4% |
| Oregon | $116,410 | -18.1% |
| Mississippi (est.) | $113,704 | -20.0% |
| Florida | $113,290 | -20.3% |
| Connecticut | $112,760 | -20.7% |
| Oklahoma | $111,010 | -21.9% |
| West Virginia (est.) | $110,861 | -22.0% |
| Iowa | $102,020 | -28.2% |
| Arizona | $99,420 | -30.0% |
| New Hampshire | $98,080 | -31.0% |
| Maine | $97,410 | -31.5% |
| Montana | $97,330 | -31.5% |
| Indiana | $96,780 | -31.9% |
| Nevada | $96,620 | -32.0% |
| Arkansas | $94,330 | -33.6% |
| Wisconsin | $91,630 | -35.5% |
| Hawaii | $89,520 | -37.0% |
| Louisiana | $89,010 | -37.4% |
| Nebraska | $86,280 | -39.3% |
| Kentucky | $83,920 | -41.0% |
What Factors Affect Economists Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Economists is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: District of Columbia pays an average of $175,100, while Kentucky pays $83,920 — a gap of $91,180 per year.
The middle half of Economists earn between $89,330 and $174,720 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $67,360, while the top 10% earn more than $238,060.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Related career salary benchmarks
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Economists?
The average salary for Economists in the United States is $142,130 per year, with a median of $124,720.
What is the starting salary for Economists?
Entry-level Economists typically earn between $67,360 and $89,330 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Economists the most?
District of Columbia pays Economists the most at $175,100 per year on average, followed by New York ($168,580) and New Jersey ($161,990).
How much do Economists make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $142,130, Economists earn approximately $68.33 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Economists a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 17,790 Economists jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $142,130 and a median of $124,720 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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