Economists

Employers

Approximately 17,500 economists are employed in the United States. About 28 percent work for federal government agencies. Thirteen percent work for state agencies, and local agencies employ 8 percent of economists. Many economists teach at colleges and universities. Others work as researchers at government agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Labor, or international organizations, such as the United Nations, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund. Still others find employment at not-for-profit or for-profit organizations, helping these organizations determine how to use their resources or grow in profitability. Most economics-related positions are concentrated in large cities, such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., although academic positions are spread throughout the United States.

Starting Out

The journals of the various professional economic associations are good sources of job opportunities for beginning economists. Some associations—such as American Economic Association (https://www.aeaweb.org/joe/listings) and Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (https://aaea.execinc.com/edibo/JobBoard)—offer job listings on their Web sites. Your school's career services office can also assist you in locating internships and in setting up interviews with potential employers.