Economist - Federal Salaries of 2015

Pay Rates for "Economist"

How much does an Economist in the federal government get paid? $116,378.01* *Based on the 2015 average.

4,266 EMPLOYEES

$491.35M TOTAL SALARY

GS MOST COMMON PAYSCALE

Economist was the 63rd most popular job in the U.S. Government in 2015, with 4,266 employed. The most common payscale was the general schedule payscale.

In 2015, the Bureau of Labor Statistics hired the most employees titled Economist, with an average salary of $96,666.

Government Economist jobs are classified under the General Schedule (GS) payscale. The minimum paygrade for a Economist job is GS-6, and the highest paygrade that can be attained within this job series is GS-15. Remember that the starting and maximum yearly pay listed above reflect base pay only - your actual salary will be higher based on the Locality Pay Adjustment for the area in which you work.

Job Description

This occupation includes positions that require application of a professional knowledge of economics in the performance of duties that include: research into economic phenomena, analysis of economic data, and the preparation of interpretive reports; advice and consultation on economic matters to governmental officials and private organizations or citizens; and the performance of other professional work in economics including supervision and the direction of economists engaged in the various economics programs of the Federal Government.

Agencies that have hired an Economist

Agency	Employees Hired	Average Salary
Bureau of Labor Statistics	1,149	$96,665.74
Bureau of Economic Analysis	264	$111,851.19
Departmental Offices	235	$129,118.20
Internal Revenue Service	223	$117,896.23
Economic Research Service	207	$120,043.42
Environmental Protection Agency	161	$116,425.84
Securities and Exchange Commission	112	$177,553.94
Department of Energy	94	$115,247.41
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation	87	$133,708.55
Office of Comptroller of Currency	80	$179,013.98
Federal Trade Commission	79	$146,505.94
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission	74	$93,091.49
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention	67	$107,597.39
U.S. Agency for International Development	65	$114,124.69
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration	63	$122,552.57
Bureau of the Census	63	$116,099.73
Federal Communications Commission	62	$143,747.11
Foreign Agricultural Service	55	$101,971.69
Offices, Boards and Divisions	53	$146,145.36
Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection	40	$1,961.00
Food and Drug Administration	40	$117,785.85
U.S. International Trade Commission	39	$111,746.00
Federal Housing Finance Agency	36	$168,616.89
Social Security Administration	35	$127,286.03
International Trade Administration	34	$113,806.29
Citizenship and Immigration Services	32	$119,800.63
Natural Resources Conservation Service	32	$109,773.06
Federal Aviation Administration	31	$130,951.39
Commodity Futures Trading Commission	30	$147,817.90
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services	28	$121,877.32
Forest Service	25	$117,282.92
Office of Secretary of Transportation	24	$103,628.17
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service	23	$116,406.96
Office of the Chief Economist	23	$150,457.39
Bureau of Reclamation	23	$95,517.70
Geological Survey	23	$104,393.17
Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Resolution	22	$133,477.23
Farm Service Agency	21	$137,790.10
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality	21	$140,080.43
U.S. Coast Guard	19	$108,603.47
Agricultural Marketing Service	19	$108,307.84
Office of Management and Budget	14	$140,149.57
National Institute of Standards and Technology	14	$117,868.57
Economics and Statistics Administration	14	$133,689.43
Occupational Safety and Health Administration	14	$117,015.71
Employee Benefits Security Administration	13	$117,996.15
Federal Railroad Administration	13	$102,816.85
Risk Management Agency	13	$93,473.92
Council of Economic Advisers	13	$68,255.92
National Institutes of Health	12	$85,762.50
Food Safety and Inspection Service	12	$118,487.00
Office Secretary Health and Human Services	11	$124,244.18
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management	11	$116,498.27
Rural Business-Cooperative Service	10	$115,210.60
Office of Assistant Secretary for Policy	10	$146,009.70
Office of the Secretary of the Interior	10	$109,181.40
Overseas Private Investment Corporation	10	$104,264.70
Transportation Security Administration	9	$100,760.44
Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyards Administration	9	$104,692.22
Patent and Trademark Office	9	$117,742.56
Surface Transportation Board	9	$138,092.33
Consumer Product Safety Commission	9	$126,782.22
Bureau of International Labor Affairs	8	$137,005.50
Export-Import Bank of the United States	8	$113,587.38
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service	8	$116,754.13
Millennium Challenge Corporation	8	$127,084.00
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission	7	$121,751.86
Maritime Administration	7	$122,704.86
Mine Safety and Health Administration	6	$125,706.33
Federal Maritime Commission	6	$116,219.33
National Science Foundation	6	$149,817.00
Small Business Administration	6	$133,343.17
Office of Senior Coordinator for Southeast/Caribbean	6	$95,614.33
Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner	6	$122,644.33
Bureau of Land Management	6	$105,873.17
Bureau of the Fiscal Service	5	$105,066.20
Veterans Health Administration	5	$130,551.20
Nuclear Regulatory Commission	5	$120,756.60
Federal Emergency Management Agency	5	$101,994.40
Office of Senior Coordinator for Midwest	5	$80,898.20
Office of Senior Coordinator for Southwest	5	$92,327.20
Customs and Border Protection	4	$98,080.75
National Credit Union Administration	4	$145,999.50
Office of Inspector General (Department of Transportation)	4	$103,391.25
Pipeline/Hazardous Materials Safety Administration	4	$123,423.75
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration	4	$125,786.25
National Protection and Programs Directorate	4	$137,297.00
Office of Senior Coordinator for Pacific/Hawaii	4	$102,333.75
National Park Service	4	$90,414.25
Farm Credit Administration	4	$177,988.25
Office of Workers' Compensation Programs	3	$100,914.33
Institute of Education Sciences	3	$145,156.33
Department of Homeland Security Headquarters	3	$145,669.33
Food and Nutrition Service	3	$107,814.67
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation	3	$101,970.67
Office of Senior Coordinator for Rocky Mountains	3	$92,422.67
Office of Senior Coordinator for Northwest/Alaska	3	$96,307.67
Federal Highway Administration	3	$114,942.00
Office of Personnel Management	2	$115,424.50
Railroad Retirement Board	2	$85,442.00
Employment and Training Administration	2	$95,082.50
Women's Bureau	2	$95,658.50
Federal Transit Administration	2	$122,157.00
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative	2	$136,590.00
Office of Senior Coordinator for Mid-Atlantic	2	$80,106.50
Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement	2	$107,950.50
Civil Rights	2	$66,909.00
National Telecommunications and Information Administration	2	$100,874.00
Agricultural Research Service	1	$86,574.00
Rural Housing Service	1	$182,347.00
Rural Utilities Service	1	$158,950.00
Departmental Administration	1	$139,523.00
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration	1	$93,851.00
U.S. Mint	1	$133,893.00
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Program & Data Analysis	1	$139,523.00
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Service Administration	1	$103,432.00
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Regulation	1	$73,347.00
Office of Senior Coordinator for New England	1	$94,748.00
Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity	1	$147,288.00
Government National Mortgage Association	1	$139,523.00
Bureau of Safety & Environmental Enforcement	1	$158,700.00
Office of Secretary of Labor	1	$141,400.00
Office Assistant Secretary Administration and Management	1	$114,390.00
Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs	1	$130,453.00

Economist Pay Distribution

The average pay for an Economist is $116,378.01. The highest paid Economist made $257,500 in 2015.

Common Economist Payscales

Payscale	Number of Economist Employees
GS - General Schedule	3,135
ZP - Scientific And Engineering Professional	331
SK - Sec Emp Formerly Under Gs, Gm, And Ez	100
CG - Corporate Graded	84
NB - Ofc Of Comptroller Of The Currency Only	80
ES - Senior Executive Service	72
CN - Bur Of (cfpb) An Indep Ag Within Frs	40
GM - Emp Covered By Pmrs Termination Provisns	37
RG - Code For Use By Hhs Only.	36
EL - Non-executive Positions At Fhfa	35
EF - Consultant (5 U.s.c. 3109)	35
ED - Expert (5 U.s.c. 3109)	33
FV - Faa Core Compensation Plan	31
CT - Commodity Futures Trading Commission Pos	30
AD - Administratively Determined Rates, Not E	28
FP - Foreign Service Personnel	28
OR - Employees Of The Ofr, Treasury	21
IR - Irs Broadband Class And Pay System Pos	16
FO - Foreign Service Officers	16
SL - Senior Level Positions	15
EI - Advisory Committee Member (other)	10
SV - Trans Security Admin Emp Other Than Exec	9
MC - Emp Of Millennium Challenge Corporation	8
GG - Grades Similar To General Schedule	6
EH - Advisory Committee Member (5 U.s.c. 3109	5
VH - Professional, Admin., And Managerial	4
IC - Federal Emergency Management Agency Use	3
CU - Credit Union Employees	3
SO - Sec Emp Formerly Under Es Pay Plan	3
EX - Executive Pay	2
ST - Scientific And Professional	2
RF - Code Is For Use By Hhs Only.	2
CM - Fdic Suprv And Mangr Pos Below Exec Lev	2
LL - Executives At Federal Housing Finance Ag	1
SS - Senior Staff Positions	1
RS - Senior Biomedical Research Service	1
EM - Fdic Executive-level Positions Only	1

Starting Paygrade:	$36,070.00 / year base pay at paygrade GS-6, Step 1
Maximum Paygrade:	$152,771.00 / year base pay at paygrade GS-15, Step 10
Category:	Professional and Scientific
Occupation Family:	0100 SOCIAL SCIENCE, PSYCHOLOGY, AND WELFARE GROUP

Other Jobs at the GS-6 Paygrade

GS-6 is the starting paygrade for Economist jobs. Here are some other Federal Government jobs that can be held by employees at the GS-6 paygrade.

Occupation	Occupation Category	Starting Paygrade	Maximum Paygrade
Motor Carrier Safety	Administrative and Management	GS-4	GS-15
Human Resources Management	Administrative and Management	GS-4	GS-15
Tax Specialist	Administrative and Management	GS-4	GS-15
Genetics	Professional and Scientific	GS-6	GS-15
Respiratory Therapist	Technical and Medical Support	GS-1	GS-9

Search for Economist Jobs

Average Economist Pay Trend from 2004 to 2021

In 2004, the average pay for an Economist was $87,989. Since then, the average pay has increased to $131,693 in 2021.

Data Sources

The information provided on these pages is sourced from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) dataset. Postal Service data is managed exclusively by the USPS . All information is displayed unmodified and as provided by the source agency.

Federal employee salaries are public information under open government laws (5 U.S.C. § 552). FederalPay provides this data in the interest of government transparency — employee data may not be used for commercial soliciting or vending of any kind. Learn more about the FederalPay Employees Dataset here.

The series code of this occupation is 0110.