Statisticians
Median wage · national
$105,650
Range: $82K – $141K
Employed
29K
Openings/yr
2K
Typically: master's degree
HUMANITIES
Economics Teachers
Economics Teachers earn $123,920 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $86,840 and $168,770. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.
About Economics Teachers
This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a economics teachers: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Political Science and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.
Teach courses in economics. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
- Median Wage
- $123,920
- Employed Nationally
- 12K
- Openings / Year
- 1,000
- Entry Education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Job Zone
- Zone 5: Extensive Preparation
Also known as:
Adjunct Economics Instructor
Adjunct Professor
Agricultural Economics Professor
Agricultural Economics Teacher
Assistant Professor
How Much Do Economics Teachers Make?
Most economics teachers take home around $123,920 a year, well above what most college graduates make. Half earn somewhere between $86,840 and $168,770, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. Worth weighing against how long the training takes. Source: BLS.
A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.
$123,920
National Median (Annual)
Well above average for college graduates.
$87K–$169K
Middle 50% Range
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
Earnings Range
$86,840
Entry-level
$123,920
Median
$168,770
Experienced
The mean wage for this occupation is $138,850, above the median. A concentration of very high earners pulls the average up. The median is the better gauge of typical pay.
What Do Economics Teachers Do?
This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.
What You'll Do
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as econometrics, price theory, and macroeconomics.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
Core Skills Employers Look For
Speaking
Instructing
Writing
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Who Thrives Here
S
Social
Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.
I
Investigative
This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.
C
Conventional
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
Where Do Economics Teachers Work?
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Work Setting
Mixed
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Physical Demands
Light
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Stress Level
Low
Low time pressure. Work pace is typically steady and self-directed.
What Is the Job Outlook for Economics Teachers?
Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +2.4%, meaning it is growing slowly, a little behind the average job. Around 1,000 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.
Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.
↗ +2.4%
10-Year Growth (2025–2035)
Slower than average.
1,000
Annual Openings
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
12K
Currently Employed
Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.
Where the Jobs Are
The five states below employ the most Economics Teachers professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $123,920 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | 1,240 | $127,500 | +2.9% |
| 2 | California | 770 | $137,360 | +10.8% |
| 3 | Texas | 770 | $118,530 | -4.3% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 750 | $164,410 | +32.7% |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 610 | $117,970 | -4.8% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
How to Get Here
To get hired here you will usually need a doctoral or professional degree. The 9 programs below are the most common routes in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.
The next most common path is an Economics program and the colleges offering it, which suits a different kind of applicant.
Typical Entry Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Job Zone
Zone 5: Extensive Preparation
Extensive education (usually a master's or doctoral degree) plus years of field experience is required to qualify for most positions.
Degree Programs That Lead Here
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Political Science | 46,438 | $63,293 | 1,302 |
| 2 | Economics | 46,225 | $82,686 | 928 |
| 3 | Pharmacy | 18,729 | $116,539 | 194 |
| 4 | Agricultural Business and Management | 8,085 | $66,647 | 380 |
| 5 | Business Statistics | 4,885 | $77,981 | 258 |
| 6 | Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | 3,147 | $56,185 | 185 |
| 7 | Philosophy, Politics, and Economics | 153 | — | 16 |
| 8 | Mathematical Economics | 139 | — | 9 |
| 9 | Economics and Computer Science | 89 | — | 6 |
Top Colleges for Aspiring Economics Teachers
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States Naval Academy Annapolis, MD | 97 | — | — |
| 2 | United States Coast Guard Academy New London, CT | 96 | — | — |
| 3 | United States Air Force Academy USAF Academy, CO | 96 | — | — |
| 4 | United States Military Academy West Point, NY | 96 | — | — |
| 5 | Princeton University Princeton, NJ | 94 | $6,128 | $110,066 |
| 6 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | 93 | $3,033 | $75,971 |
Plan Your Path
Once you've sized up Economics Teachers, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
College ROI Calculator
See if the degree that leads to Economics Teachers pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
College Cost Calculator
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Compare Colleges
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
College Match Quiz
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Economics Teachers Pros & Cons
The data on Economics Teachers shows 2 measurable strengths and 2 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.
PROS
- Very high median salary The national median of $123,920 places this career well above average for college graduates, with significant upside at the 75th percentile.
- High earning ceiling Top earners (75th percentile) reach $168,770 annually. Strong performers, specialists, and those in high-cost markets have significant upside beyond the median.
CONS
- Slow job growth At +2.4% projected growth, this career lags the national average. Limited expansion means stiffer competition for openings that do appear.
- High education requirement Most employers require a doctoral or professional degree, typically 6 to 10+ years of higher education before earning full wages. Factor tuition costs into your ROI calculation.
Economics Teachers Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Economics Teachers professionals earn?
Around $123,920 a year for the typical worker, well into the top quartile of US wages. The middle 50% of earners fall between $86,840 and $168,770. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.
Is Economics Teachers a good career?
Yes, for the right person, but the commitment is significant. The $123,920 median wage reflects years of training most workers invest, and the path to a first career-level role typically spans 8 to 12 or more years. Research salary outcomes at specific programs, not just the national median, before committing to a graduate path.
How long does it take to work as Economics Teachers?
Plan on 8 to 12 or more years of combined education and supervised training before qualifying for career-level roles. A doctoral or professional degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Political Science are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $123,920 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
Is a doctoral or professional degree worth it to become an Economics Teachers?
Yes, for most programs. At $123,920 median, graduates at in-state public programs typically recoup their investment within 10 to 15 years of practice. School choice (specifically tuition cost and your expected local job market) matters as much as the credential itself.
What is the job outlook for Economics Teachers?
Employment is projected to change by +2.4% through 2035, slower than average compared with other occupations. Around 1,000 roles open each year once you count people retiring and moving on, which matters more to someone starting out than the growth rate does. 12K people do this job nationwide today, so it is an established field rather than a niche one. Source: BLS May 2025.
Why do Economics Teachers salaries vary so widely?
The $81,930 gap between the 25th ($86,840) and 75th ($168,770) percentile reflects how much employer type, industry, specialization, and geography affect pay. Entry-level roles and lower-demand markets cluster near the bottom; senior, specialized, or high-cost-metro positions push the top. In fields with this much spread, where you work and what you specialize in often matters more than years of experience.
What skills do Economics Teachers professionals need?
Mainly Speaking, Instructing, Writing, Reading Comprehension, and Active Listening. Notice how many of those are habits rather than facts: they come from doing the work, not from a lecture. That is why programs with an internship or co-op requirement put you ahead of people who only studied the theory. Source: O*NET.
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- No bachelor degree
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- Median wage
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Does a Master's Degree Pay Off? Barely, on Average
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
- Master's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Median wage
- Graduate school
- Career outcomes
-
Growing and Paying $80K Plus: The Careers That Do Both
Only 106 of 393 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
- Career growth
- Median wage
- High-paying careers
- Job outlook
- Career change
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