The median annual wage for economists was $99,180 in May 2015.
The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $52,540, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $176,960.
In May 2015, the median annual wages for economists in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
Finance and insurance
$118,410
Federal government, excluding postal service
110,470
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services
105,510
Scientific research and development services
95,710
State and local government, excluding education and hospitals
67,930
Most economists work full time. Some work under pressure of deadlines and tight schedules that may require overtime hours. About 1 out of 4 economists worked more than 40 hours per week in 2014.
Economists
Median annual wages, May 2015
Economists
$99,180
Social scientists and related workers
$72,570
Total, all occupations
$36,200
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics