Occupation · SOC 19-3011
Economists
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.
Median wage
$115,440
$62,340–$212,710
Projected growth
+1.1%
Slower than average
Annual openings
20
per year
Employed (US)
15,880
Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
670 mapped
Core skills
Reading ComprehensionMathematicsCritical ThinkingWritingSpeakingJudgment and Decision MakingActive ListeningComplex Problem SolvingActive LearningSystems EvaluationInstructingSystems AnalysisMonitoringLearning StrategiesTime ManagementSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationPersuasionCoordinationOperations AnalysisManagement of Personnel ResourcesNegotiationProgrammingScienceManagement of Material ResourcesManagement of Financial ResourcesOperations MonitoringTechnology DesignQuality Control AnalysisTroubleshootingRepairingOperation and ControlInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
MathematicsEconomics and AccountingEnglish LanguageComputers and ElectronicsEducation and TrainingCommunications and MediaLaw and GovernmentAdministration and ManagementSociology and AnthropologyHistory and ArcheologyGeographyPersonnel and Human ResourcesCustomer and Personal ServicePsychologyAdministrativeEngineering and TechnologySales and MarketingProduction and ProcessingTelecommunicationsPhilosophy and TheologyForeign LanguageTransportationDesignPhysicsPublic Safety and SecurityMedicine and DentistryBiologyTherapy and CounselingChemistryBuilding and ConstructionMechanicalFood ProductionFine Arts
Technology & tools
Aptech Systems GAUSSC++Camfit Data Limited MicrofitCorel QuattroProCorel WordPerfect Office SuiteESRI ArcViewEconometric Software LIMDEPEstima Regression Analysis of Time Series RATSEstimates Delivery System EDSFormula translation/translator FORTRANGlobal Insight AREMOSIBM Lotus 1-2-3IBM SPSS StatisticsInsightful S-PLUSLaTeXMacKichan Software Scientific NotebookMaplesoft MapleMathsoft MathcadMediaWikiMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Internet ExplorerMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft Power BIMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft SQL ServerMicrosoft Visual BasicMicrosoft Visual Basic for Applications VBAMicrosoft Visual C# .NETMicrosoft WordMinitabMozilla FirefoxMySQLOracle JavaPalisade @RiskPythonQuantitative Micro Software EViewsRSAS
Representative tasks
Analyzing Data or InformationWorking with ComputersGetting InformationProcessing InformationInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsThinking CreativelyEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkTraining and Teaching OthersIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersDocumenting/Recording InformationEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesCoaching and Developing OthersJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesScheduling Work and ActivitiesDeveloping and Building TeamsCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersSelling or Influencing OthersResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsPerforming Administrative ActivitiesPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesStaffing Organizational UnitsAssisting and Caring for OthersInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentControlling Machines and ProcessesPerforming General Physical ActivitiesHandling and Moving ObjectsRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Standard datasets (BLS, BEA, Census, FRED) — retrieve, clean, and document under a senior economist's review.Statistical software (Stata, R, Python) — produce reproducible scripts for routine analyses.Descriptive analytics and chart packs — build to a defined template for internal briefings.Microdata access protocols (RDC, FSRDC) — follow correctly on assigned projects.Reproducibility and code review — apply consistently across project repositories.Literature reviews on assigned topics — produce annotated summaries for a project lead.Standard regressions and diagnostic tests — run and interpret under a postdoc's guidance.Working-paper formatting and citation standards — apply with care across submissions.Survey-data cleaning and weighting — perform per published documentation.Project-tracking tools (Jira, Asana, GitHub) — use accurately within an active team.
developing
Independent empirical studies — design and execute on focused questions within a research group.Causal-inference methods (DiD, IV, RD, synthetic controls) — apply correctly to applied datasets.Forecast and nowcast pipelines — build and maintain for an internal economics shop.Junior analysts and research assistants — manage on standard data work.Reproducibility packages and replication archives — prepare for journal submission.Briefings for policymakers or business leaders — deliver clearly with appropriate caveats.Working papers and peer-reviewed articles — co-author for general-interest and field journals.Methodological notes and benchmark comparisons — author for internal documentation.Conference presentations (AEA, regional meetings) — deliver and respond to questions.Research budgets and consultant contracts — manage at task scale.
proficient
Research programs on substantive policy or market questions — lead across multi-year arcs.Externally funded grants (NSF, foundation, agency) — win at the principal-investigator level.High-impact publications — lead through revision in top general-interest and field journals.Doctoral students and senior research associates — advise on independent research.Policy briefings at agency or executive level — deliver under tight timelines with defensible analysis.Cross-institutional research consortia — lead working groups within larger initiatives.Methodological innovation — contribute new estimators or identification strategies validated in publication.Editorial roles at field journals — hold with rigorous and timely review practice.Industry and government engagements — maintain as a recognized expert on a substantive topic.External communication (op-eds, podcasts, hearings) — deliver clearly to non-economist audiences.
advanced
Research direction for a department, institute, or central-bank research function — set across years and people.Major policy designs (tax, monetary, trade, antitrust) — architect at the institutional level.Disciplinary norms (open science, ethics, replication) — advance through major society and journal leadership.Public-trust communications — lead during periods of crisis or contested policy debate.Doctoral and postdoctoral pipelines — build and steward across cohorts.Senior policy advisory roles — hold at agency, ministerial, or central-bank level.Cross-disciplinary collaborations (CS, statistics, public health) — catalyze at institutional scale.International policy networks and standards — shape through advisory and editorial roles.Major awards, named lectures, and editorial leadership — hold consistent with sustained influence.Legacy mentorship and field-shaping methodology — institutionalize through textbooks and training.
Also known as
40 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Agricultural EconomistBusiness EconomistConsultant EconomistEconometricianEconomic AdvisorEconomic AnalystEconomic ConsultantEconomic DeveloperEconomic Development ManagerEconomic Development SpecialistEconomic Research AnalystEconomic SpecialistEconomistEnvironmental EconomistFinancial EconomistFiscal EconomistForecast AnalystForensic EconomistForest EconomistHealth Economics ConsultantHealth EconomistHealthcare Economics AnalystHealthcare Economics ConsultantHome EconomistIndustrial EconomistInternational Trade SpecialistLabor EconomistMedical Economics AnalystMedical Economics ConsultantPolicy AdvisorPolicy OfficerPrice EconomistProject EconomistResearch AnalystResearch EconomistResource Planning AnalystRevenue Research AnalystSocial EconomistTax EconomistTrade Economist