Economists
What Economists Do
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.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- Self-employed
- 3.7%
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 5 of 5Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience.
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Job training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Mathematicsimportance 4.5/5
- Economics and Accountingimportance 4.5/5
- English Languageimportance 4.0/5
- Computers and Electronicsimportance 3.8/5
- Education and Trainingimportance 3.1/5
- Communications and Mediaimportance 2.8/5
- Law and Governmentimportance 2.7/5
- Administration and Managementimportance 2.6/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- E-Mail4.9/5
- Spend Time Sitting4.7/5
- Freedom to Make Decisions4.6/5
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.4/5
- Telephone Conversations4.4/5
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.3/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists98% skill match
- Geographers98% skill match
- Political Scientists97% skill match
- Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists96% skill match
- Insurance Underwriters96% skill match
- Epidemiologists96% skill match
- Atmospheric and Space Scientists96% skill match
- Mathematicians96% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 4.0/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.8/5
- Instructingimportance 3.3/5
- Systems Evaluationimportance 3.3/5
- Systems Analysisimportance 3.1/5
- Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.0/5
- Coordinationimportance 3.0/5
- Persuasionimportance 3.0/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
In-Demand Technologies
Other Software Used
- Aptech Systems GAUSS
- Camfit Data Limited Microfit
- Corel QuattroPro
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
- ESRI ArcView
- Econometric Software LIMDEP
- Estima Regression Analysis of Time Series RATS
- Estimates Delivery System EDS
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Attention to Detail
- Achievement Orientation
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Innovation
- Tolerance for Ambiguity
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- InvestigativeHigh
- ConventionalMedium
- EnterprisingMedium
- ArtisticLow
- SocialLow
- RealisticLow
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where economists make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV12.74× national avg
- 2Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA10.93× national avg
- 3Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA4.51× national avg
- 4Lincoln, NE3.07× national avg
- 5Durham-Chapel Hill, NC3.02× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Economics Teachers, PostsecondaryCareer Change
- Political ScientistsLateral Move
- Business Teachers, PostsecondaryCareer Change
- StatisticiansCareer Change
Related Education Programs
Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.
Political Economy
- University of California-Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)grads earn ~$74,202
- Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL)grads earn ~$68,059
- University of California-Berkeley (Berkeley, CA)grads earn ~$75,128
- University of Washington-Seattle Campus (Seattle, WA)grads earn ~$72,487
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (Madison, WI)grads earn ~$66,148
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics
- University of California-Berkeley (Berkeley, CA)grads earn ~$135,050
- University of California-Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)grads earn ~$95,440
- University of California-Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara, CA)grads earn ~$98,178
- University of Chicago (Chicago, IL)grads earn ~$159,578
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (Ann Arbor, MI)grads earn ~$110,552
Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management
- Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (Boston, MA)grads earn ~$141,852
- Northeastern University Professional Programs (Boston, MA)grads earn ~$136,474
- University of Florida (Gainesville, FL)grads earn ~$86,586
- University of Maryland Baltimore (Baltimore, MD)grads earn ~$148,993
- Nova Southeastern University (Fort Lauderdale, FL)