Are economists in demand?

Yes, economists are in demand. The employment of economists is projected to grow 13% from 2020 to 2030, which is faster than average for other occupations. This is because many roles utilize the kind of knowledge that economists have. As more companies look to develop their business models in economically strategic ways, the more economists will be in demand.

Do economists make a lot of money?

Yes, economists typically make a lot of money. While there is a wide range of roles with different salary levels, most economists make at least $100,000 in a year. Economists study the production and distribution of resources, goods, and services and apply economic analysis regarding various issues. Their knowledge is used in various fields, such as private enterprise, education, health, and development.

How hard is it to become an economist?

It is not hard to become an economist. As long as a person gains the knowledge and experience they need and networks well, they can become an economist. This is aided by the fact that there are several jobs that economists can perform. A person with an economics degree will find that they are employable in many areas, regardless of the specific industry that they may work in. There is strong demand for graduates with knowledge of economics throughout the global labor market.

What are the top companies that hire economists?

The top companies in various industries, such as finance, consulting, government, and academia, hire economists. The industry landscape for economists is broad and diverse, with opportunities in both public and private sectors. Economists can work in academia, research institutions, government agencies, financial institutions, and consulting firms.

How To Become An Economist: What It Is and Career Path

What is an economist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted Expert

Erik Johnson Ph.D.

Economists analyze and forecast economic trends. They do research and probe statistics to get an idea of which direction economic tendencies are headed. They are employed for their advice and detailed insight that is useful for the movers and shakers of companies and businesses when they formulate their business strategies and make decisions that impact their endeavors in the long run.

As an economist, you might work for the government or private organizations, financial institutions, banks, corporations, and many more. You will be expected to analyze national and global economic trends and financial information, give presentations about your findings and recommend viable courses of action.

A big part of your job will be to report on your findings in a clear and concise manner, using a language that is generally accessible without specialized education in economics. You will have to hold a degree, though, on occasion, even a post-graduate education will be required. Having experience under your belt as an intern will greatly improve your chances of getting hired.

What general advice would you give to an Economist?

Erik Johnson Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Economics, Carthage College

Economics gives you a set of tools to analyze a variety of policy and business problems. However, determining which tools to apply in which situation requires that you learn the industry, you are working from top to bottom. When you begin a new job in a new field, be sure to do everything you can to understand how the organization and the industry work to understand the primary incentives that everyone faces. One right way to do this is to make as many connections within the company you are working for as possible and always be on the lookout for new opportunities within the company and how they can help you learn more. Moreover, do your best to ensure that a significant portion of your job involves some creative endeavors such as economic modeling or building tools for yourself or others to use. As computing power continues to become cheaper, and artificial intelligence becomes more advanced, relatively repetitive tasks become more comfortable and easier to automate. Therefore you will have less job security. Creative tasks such as modeling and tool building are difficult to automate and are more likely to provide you with more satisfaction.

ScoreEconomistUS Average

Salary

7.8

Avg. Salary $109,102

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

4.3

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.25%

Asian 13.13%

Black or African American 6.43%

Hispanic or Latino 12.09%

Unknown 5.66%

White 62.44%

Gender

female 40.84%

male 59.16%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress Level

4.3

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

5.2

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an economist

Explore economist education requirements

Most common economist degrees

Bachelor's

58.4 %

Master's

30.3 %

Doctorate

6.2 %

Start to develop specific economist skills

Skills	Percentages
Economic Research	8.79%
Research Findings	6.75%
Economic Analysis	5.78%
Research Projects	4.36%
Econometrics	4.12%

Research economist duties and responsibilities

Manage, utilize, and archive database for commodities in assign areas.
Lead the advanced receiver hardware prototyping and evaluate the receiver performance.
Formulate USDA policy positions and apprise decision makers on their implications.
Provide economic and financial analysis, particularly on treasury functions and natural resource taxation.

Prepare your economist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your economist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an economist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

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Apply for economist jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an economist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Economist Job

Rael O.

Economist, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Thank you for reaching out and considering me for your article on becoming an Economist. I'm flattered by the invitation and would be happy to share my story.

For me it is simple, I had passion and interest for economics and statistics (which i studied in my undergraduate) since i love playing with numbers. After i got to work on economic related projects and institutions and that is how i grew into economist. So how to become economist is by moving from passion and interest to learning to practice/application to real world scenarios.

How do economists rate their job?