Science · Career brief

Economists

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Economists at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$124,720

Very high national median pay

2025 national median. Top 10% for pay among careers on ChooseField.

2Demand

4.7%

Steady projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Above the middle of ChooseField careers for growth.

3Openings

1,100

Low national opening volume

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Bottom quarter for openings among careers on ChooseField.

4Route in

Master's degree

Long formal preparation is part of the path

Master's degree. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

Analytical

Problem-solving and analysis dominate the profile

Study economic and statistical data in area of specialization, such as finance, labor, or agriculture.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

This is a small national occupation (18,600 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

ChooseField take

The standout national signal is pay; it ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if analytical work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a master's-degree path. Main tradeoff: This is a small national occupation (18,600 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median…

Before choosing, compare:Political Scientists Epidemiologists Industrial-Organizational Psychologists

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Economists with another field Explore rankings in Science Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$124,720

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

4.7%employment growth1,100openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

Master's degree

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

18,600

A small national occupation; local availability may be uneven.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Economists (19-3011).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Study economic and statistical data in area of specialization, such as finance, labor, or agriculture.
Compile, analyze, and report data to explain economic phenomena and forecast market trends, applying mathematical models and statistical techniques.
Study the socioeconomic impacts of new public policies, such as proposed legislation, taxes, services, and regulations.
Formulate recommendations, policies, or plans to solve economic problems or to interpret markets.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

This is a small national occupation (18,600 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Analyzing Data or Information4.9
Getting Information4.8
Working with Computers4.8
Processing Information4.7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others4.5

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Investigative7.0
Conventional4.5
Enterprising3.9
Artistic2.4
Social2.4
Realistic1.4

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Mathematics Economics and Accounting Computers and Electronics Communications and Media

Software and tools named in job postings

R SAS Structured query language SQL Python Tableau Statistical software

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Run a small investigation with a written hypothesis, observations or public data, and a conclusion that states what the evidence cannot prove.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Economists nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Critical Thinking, Mathematics, Reading Comprehension among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions. Examples of tools used in the occupation include R, SAS, Structured query language SQL; check which ones employers near you actually require.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options

Compare before committing

The useful question is not whether one field wins overall, but what changes when you choose a nearby path. Explore the full career guides for Political Scientists, Epidemiologists, Industrial-Organizational Psychologists, Historians.