Average Salary for Economists
SOC 19-3011 · Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Economists in the United States is $115,440 ($55.50/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $62,340 at the 10th percentile to $212,710 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 15,880 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 9.9% since 2019.
Median Annual
$115,440
Mean Annual
$130,910
10th Pct
$62,340
75th Pct
$166,030
Employment
15,880
Salary Distribution
$62k
10th
$82k
25th
$115k
Median
$166k
75th
$213k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $168,850 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $157,980 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $134,410 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $131,160 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $129,280 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $127,220 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $125,630 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $124,780 |
| Anchorage, AK | $124,590 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $123,140 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $121,820 |
| Cleveland, OH | $121,740 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $120,410 |
| Richmond, VA | $118,610 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $118,190 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $162,610 |
| Virginia | $148,010 |
| New York | $142,300 |
| Maryland | $137,610 |
| Georgia | $127,220 |
| Ohio | $117,750 |
| Washington | $116,390 |
| Missouri | $115,520 |
| Kansas | $115,100 |
| Pennsylvania | $113,300 |
| Illinois | $112,790 |
| North Carolina | $111,770 |
| Oregon | $111,660 |
| Colorado | $111,540 |
| Tennessee | $110,320 |
| Alaska | $108,960 |
| Minnesota | $107,470 |
| Texas | $106,200 |
| Alabama | $103,400 |
| Connecticut | $103,200 |
| Massachusetts | $103,170 |
| New Jersey | $102,350 |
| California | $100,510 |
| Arizona | $96,390 |
| Montana | $95,990 |
| Indiana | $95,830 |
| Michigan | $94,850 |
| Iowa | $92,750 |
| Florida | $89,250 |
| Louisiana | $89,010 |
| Nevada | $84,540 |
| New Mexico | $82,490 |
| Oklahoma | $82,330 |
| Hawaii | $81,740 |
| Maine | $80,670 |
| Idaho | $78,770 |
| Wisconsin | $76,940 |
| Puerto Rico | $68,180 |
| Nebraska | $66,690 |
| Kentucky | $65,470 |
| South Carolina | $51,980 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $115,440 |
| 2023 | $115,730 |
| 2022 | $113,940 |
| 2021 | $105,630 |
| 2020 | $108,350 |
| 2019 | $105,020 |