Economist Salary in the United States

How much does an Economist make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for an Economist in the United States is $127,454 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $61.

However, an Economist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $150,467
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $114,507 to $139,500
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $102,719
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
Recruit with AI
AI-Powered HR
View as table View as graph 25% $114,507 10% $102,719 90% $150,467 75% $139,500 $127,454 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Economist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $139,500 $11,625 $2,683 $67
Average $127,454 $10,621 $2,451 $61
25th Percentile $114,507 $9,542 $2,202 $55
Check out Economist Job Openings in the United States
Occupational Therapy Assistant

Legacy Healthcare Services, Inc. - Columbus, OH

RN - Stepdown (PCU)

Ohio State Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital - Columbus, OH

Travel OR RN (1007010)

Titan Medical Group, LLC - Columbus, OH

Travel PCU Registered Nursein Columbus, OH

Aya Healthcare - Columbus, OH

Search More Economist Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Economist Salaries

An Economist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Economist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Economist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here’s how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $95,838
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $126,568
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $149,799
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $171,860
  • Expert (over 8 years): $315,306
Levels Salary
Economics... Level Economist$95,838
Economist... Level Economist$126,568
Economics... Level Economist$149,799
Economics... Level Economist$171,860
VP of Eco... Level Economist$315,306
$95,838 0 yr
$126,568 < 2 yrs
$149,799 2-4 yrs
$171,860 5-8 yrs
$315,306 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Economists

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $160,758
  • San Francisco: $158,998
  • Oakland: $155,647

What Skills Can Increase an Economist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 15.98% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Forecasting (Mentioned in 1.86% Job Postings): Forecasting is the process of making predictions of the future based on past and present data and most commonly by analysis of trends. A commonplace example might be estimation of some variable of interest at some specified future date. Prediction is a similar, but more general term. Both might refer to formal statistical methods employing time series, cross-sectional or longitudinal data, or alternatively to less formal judgmental methods. Usage can differ between areas of application: for example, in hydrology the terms "forecast" and "forecasting" are sometimes reserved for estimates of values at certain specific future times, while the term "prediction" is used for more general estimates, such as the number of times floods will occur over a long period. Risk and uncertainty are central to forecasting and prediction; it is generally considered good practice to indicate the degree of uncertainty attaching to forecasts. In any case, the data must be up to date in order for the forecast to be as accurate as possible. In some cases the data used to predict the variable of interest is itself forecasted.
  • Pricing (Mentioned in 1.41% Job Postings): Pricing is a process of fixing the value that a manufacturer will receive in the exchange of services and goods.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 15.98%
Forecasting 1.86%
Pricing 1.41%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Economist's salary.
  • Trading: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Inference: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Machine Learning: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Trading
$138,925
9%
Inference
$138,925
9%
Machine Learning
$135,101
6%
Economic Analysis
$133,827
5%
Pricing
$133,827
5%
Forecasting
$133,827
5%
Get Latest Data

Economist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Economist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 65% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Software & Networking and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Economist positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Economist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Economist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking$159,318$77.025%
Biotechnology$152,945$74.020%
Pharmaceuticals$152,945$74.020%
Healthcare$146,572$70.015%
Energy & Utilities$140,199$67.010%

Economist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Economist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Economist

Salaries for an Economist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $99,753 in 2023 to around $98,914 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Economist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Economist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$99,753
2024
$99,582
2025
$98,914
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $99,753
2024 $99,582
2025 $98,914
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Economist

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Economist

Here are companies hiring for Economist and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Economist Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Economist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Associate Vice President, Internal Communications. About the Company. National consulting & advisory services firm focused on the healthcare industry. Indu... more

    16 Days Ago

  • C.R. England

    Columbus, OH

    C.R. England | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. C.R. England is Now Urgently Hiring Local Dedicated CDL-A Truck Drivers. \n. Dedicated Local Fleet - Home Daily - Competitive Pay* - Full ... more

    21 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Vice President, Credit Risk Strategy & Data Science. About the Company. High-growth SMB lender building the next generation of credit decisioning. Industry... more

    21 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Vice President, Payments Engineering. About the Company. Globally-recognized provider of corporate payment solutions. Industry. Financial Services. Type. P... more

    23 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Senior Vice President of Project Delivery. About the Company. A multi-billion-dollar construction organization with collaborative, servant-minded leadershi... more

    23 Days Ago

  • USPS

    Columbus, OH

    USPS | Columbus, OH

    The United States Postal Service (USPS) is seeking Mail Carriers and City Carrier Assistants (CCA) to deliver mail and packages to residential and business... more

    29 Days Ago

For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

FAQ about Economist

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Economist?

The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Economist roles, with salaries approximately 25% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst