Economists
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Economists in the United States earn a median salary of $124,720 per year — about $60 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 18K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +1%.
AI & Automation Risk
Economists perform work that is almost entirely digital, involving data analysis, mathematical modeling, and technical writing. AI is exceptionally proficient at the core tasks of this role, including processing large datasets, identifying statistical patterns, and generating reports, which significantly increases productivity and reduces the number of human workers needed for routine analysis.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJBEST VALUE | $176,090 | Above avg (112.6) | $156,437 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $152,130 | Average (97.6) | $155,916 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $152,730 | Above avg (104.5) | $146,171 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $138,260 | Below avg (95.7) | $144,478 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $156,750 | Above avg (108.9) | $143,961 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $132,630 | Below avg (95.1) | $139,481 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $128,520 | Below avg (92.5) | $138,876 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $136,990 | Average (99.5) | $137,701 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $139,530 | Average (102.6) | $136,055 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $151,510 | Above avg (113.6) | $133,411 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $122,980 | Below avg (94.7) | $129,903 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $128,960 | Average (100.9) | $127,835 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $120,740 | Below avg (95.4) | $126,602 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $142,400 | Above avg (115.6) | $123,170 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $122,570 | Average (100.1) | $122,499 |