Economist salary
From 1,549 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 19-3011: Economists
- Also filed as: Research Economist, Associate Economist
At a glance
- Mostly Level II (mid-level). 35% of Economist filings are Level II, compared with 42% across all H-1B filings.
- Top filer: Amazon. 164 filings (11% of the total), median $160,000.
- Pay depends on the city. Among the 4 metro areas with the most filings, the median ranges from $151,705 in Boston, MA to $170,000 in New York, NY.
- Median up 47% since FY2020. From $105,685 in FY2020 to $155,000 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Economist H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 1,549 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Economist jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 19-3011, Economists). The median base salary is $140,000, 14% above the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $100,000 and $180,000. The most common wage level is Level II (mid-level), at 35% of filings. New York, NY has the most filings (288), and Amazon is the employer that files the most (164).
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Top employers for Economist
Amazon164 filings · 11%$160,000
Analysis Group121 filings · 8%$170,000
FedEx105 filings · 7%$101,424
Cornerstone Research88 filings · 6%$230,000
The Brattle Group67 filings · 4%$113,478
CRA International59 filings · 4%$143,000
Econic Partners42 filings · 3%$165,000
Compass Lexecon37 filings · 2%$205,000
National Economic Research Associates28 filings · 2%$128,000
Goldman Sachs19 filings · 1%$156,000
Employers with the most Economist filings. Bar: share of all Economist filings. Figure: median base salary.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 33% of filings
Mid-level · 35% of filings
Senior · 19% of filings
Expert · 13% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $100,000 | 504 |
| Level II · Qualified | $140,000 | 525 |
| Level III · Experienced | $170,000 | 284 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $225,000 | 199 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Economist pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 16 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $170,000 | 288 |
| Washington, DC | $154,250 | 214 |
| Boston, MA | $151,705 | 170 |
| San Francisco, CA | $155,000 | 137 |
| Chicago, IL | $150,000 | 96 |
| Seattle, WA | $151,000 | 95 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $143,806 | 86 |
| Memphis, TN | $95,000 | 61 |
| Dallas, TX | $108,176 | 32 |
| San Jose, CA | $177,412 | 29 |
| Houston, TX | $112,951 | 26 |
| Denver, CO | $111,659 | 16 |
| Austin, TX | $140,000 | 11 |
| Atlanta, GA | $119,637 | 10 |
| Lakeland, FL | $92,846 | 10 |
| Trenton, NJ | $85,000 | 10 |
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Economist does
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.
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Explain economic impact of policies to the public.
- Review documents written by others.
- Provide advice and consultation on economic relationships to businesses, public and private agencies, and other employers.
Preparation
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
O*NET occupation: Economists (19-3011.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Economists), the median annual wage was $124,720 in May 2025, with 17,790 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $140,000, 12% higher.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $82,784 | $67,360 |
| 25th percentile | $100,000 | $89,330 |
| Median | $140,000 | $124,720 |
| 75th percentile | $180,000 | $174,720 |
| 90th percentile | $230,420 | $238,060 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $82,784 |
| 25th | $100,000 |
| 50th (median) | $140,000 |
| 75th | $180,000 |
| 90th | $230,420 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $105,685 | $79,830 | $129,485 | 1,008 |
| FY2021 | $104,635 | $77,730 | $143,500 | 1,006 |
| FY2022 | $113,485 | $87,000 | $152,000 | 1,081 |
| FY2023 | $122,886 | $92,456 | $171,669 | 744 |
| FY2024 | $126,500 | $92,500 | $180,000 | 732 |
| FY2025 | $123,000 | $92,976 | $170,264 | 903 |
| FY2026 | $155,000 | $118,160 | $190,000 | 646 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Economist make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Economist jobs is $140,000 (1,549 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $100,000 and $180,000.
What does an entry-level Economist earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $100,000. Level I accounts for 33% of Economist filings.
Which city pays H-1B Economists the most?
Among metro areas with at least 100 filings, New York, NY has the highest median base salary for Economist jobs: $170,000 (288 filings).
Which employers file the most H-1B applications for Economists?
Amazon (164), Analysis Group (121) and FedEx (105) filed the most Economist LCAs in FY2025–FY2026.
Do H-1B Economists earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($140,000) is 12% higher than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($124,720, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.