Economists Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for economists is $124,720, or $59.96 per hour. About 17,790 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $167,590 in District of Columbia to $71,400 in Kentucky.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 40 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $167,590 | $80.57 | 3,000 | 37.34 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $167,550 | $80.55 | 280 | 0.57 |
| 3 | Delaware | $159,120 | $76.50 | 70 | 1.22 |
| 4 | Maryland | $144,680 | $69.56 | 1,130 | 3.56 |
| 5 | Kansas | $138,790 | $66.72 | 80 | 0.50 |
| 6 | Virginia | $137,590 | $66.15 | 950 | 2.01 |
| 7 | New York | $136,660 | $65.70 | 910 | 0.82 |
| 8 | North Carolina | $136,150 | $65.46 | 290 | 0.52 |
| 9 | Idaho | $131,270 | $63.11 | 130 | 1.31 |
| 10 | Alabama | $129,960 | $62.48 | 40 | 0.15 |
| 11 | Georgia | $122,570 | $58.93 | 260 | 0.46 |
| 12 | Oregon | $122,120 | $58.71 | 320 | 1.43 |
| 13 | Texas | $121,420 | $58.38 | 560 | 0.34 |
| 14 | Colorado | $121,410 | $58.37 | 240 | 0.74 |
| 15 | Ohio | $120,000 | $57.69 | 140 | 0.22 |
| 16 | California | $119,410 | $57.41 | 860 | 0.41 |
| 17 | Tennessee | $117,650 | $56.56 | 80 | 0.21 |
| 18 | Missouri | $117,010 | $56.26 | 280 | 0.84 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $115,000 | $55.29 | 560 | 0.81 |
| 20 | Alaska | $111,040 | $53.39 | 80 | 2.18 |
| 21 | Washington | $109,300 | $52.55 | 450 | 1.10 |
| 22 | Massachusetts | $106,380 | $51.14 | 1,030 | 2.48 |
| 23 | Michigan | $106,350 | $51.13 | 320 | 0.63 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $105,120 | $50.54 | 500 | 1.48 |
| 25 | Florida | $102,430 | $49.24 | 500 | 0.44 |
| 26 | Connecticut | $101,400 | $48.75 | 210 | 1.09 |
| 27 | Iowa | $96,310 | $46.30 | 70 | 0.40 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $91,560 | $44.02 | 50 | 0.31 |
| 29 | Maine | $91,480 | $43.98 | 70 | 0.90 |
| 30 | Nevada | $91,340 | $43.92 | 70 | 0.42 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $89,980 | $43.26 | 80 | 0.40 |
| 32 | Montana | $89,340 | $42.95 | 90 | 1.58 |
| 33 | New Hampshire | $86,130 | $41.41 | 50 | 0.69 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $84,000 | $40.39 | 280 | 0.83 |
| 35 | Hawaii | $83,050 | $39.93 | 50 | 0.71 |
| 36 | Indiana | $80,750 | $38.82 | 80 | 0.21 |
| 37 | Arizona | $79,610 | $38.28 | 340 | 0.90 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $75,880 | $36.48 | 90 | 0.74 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $73,050 | $35.12 | 140 | 0.64 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $71,400 | $34.33 | 100 | 0.42 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do economists make?
The median annual wage for economists in the United States is $124,720, or $59.96 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $67,360, and the top 10% earn $238,060.
How many economists are employed in the U.S.?
About 17,790 people work as economists nationwide.
Which state pays economists the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $167,590, followed by New Jersey ($167,550) and Delaware ($159,120).
Which state pays economists the least?
Kentucky has the lowest median at $71,400.
Where are economists jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is District of Columbia at 37.34×.