Economists
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.
Most important skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Mathematics
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Active Learning
Key knowledge
- Mathematics
- Economics and Accounting
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Education and Training
- Communications and Media
- Law and Government
- Administration and Management
What the work involves
- Study economic and statistical data in area of specialization, such as finance, labor, or agriculture.
- Provide advice and consultation on economic relationships to businesses, public and private agencies, and other employers.
- Compile, analyze, and report data to explain economic phenomena and forecast market trends, applying mathematical models and statistical techniques.
- Formulate recommendations, policies, or plans to solve economic problems or to interpret markets.
- Develop economic guidelines and standards, and prepare points of view used in forecasting trends and formulating economic policy.
- Testify at regulatory or legislative hearings concerning the estimated effects of changes in legislation or public policy, and present recommendations based on cost-benefit analyses.
- Supervise research projects and students' study projects.
- Teach theories, principles, and methods of economics.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Investigative, Conventional, Enterprising.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- Master's Degree (50% of respondents)
- Related experience
- None (29.2%)
- On-the-job training
- Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month (33.3%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 5: Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Economists is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | Very low | Lower on contact with others than 95% of occupations compared | 42% of surveyed respondents chose “Contact with others about half the time” |
| Dealing with the public | Low | Lower on dealing with the public than 74% of occupations compared | 29% of surveyed respondents chose “Important” |
| Teamwork | Very low | Lower on teamwork than 82% of occupations compared | 52% of surveyed respondents chose “Very important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | Very high | Higher on freedom to make decisions than 88% of occupations compared | 61% of surveyed respondents chose “A lot of freedom” |
| Time pressure | Low | Lower on time pressure than 69% of occupations compared | 46% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a week or more but not every day” |
| Conflict situations | Very low | Lower on conflict situations than 86% of occupations compared | 58% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Very low | Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 97% of occupations compared | 57% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month” |
| Consequence of error | Very low | Lower on consequence of error than 80% of occupations compared | 38% of surveyed respondents chose “Fairly serious” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: low
- Conflict situations: very low
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: very low
- Consequence of error: very low
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: 0%
- Occasional contact with others: 12.5%
- Contact with others about half the time: 41.67%
- Contact with others most of the time: 29.17%
- Constant contact with others: 16.67%
n = 24, Occupational Expert 08/2024
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 20.83%
- Fairly important: 16.67%
- Important: 29.17%
- Very important: 29.17%
- Extremely important: 4.17%
n = 24, Occupational Expert 08/2024
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 0%
- Fairly important: 17.39%
- Important: 8.7%
- Very important: 52.17%
- Extremely important: 21.74%
n = 23, Occupational Expert 08/2024
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 0%
- Very little freedom: 0%
- Limited freedom: 0%
- Some freedom: 39.13%
- A lot of freedom: 60.87%
n = 23, Occupational Expert 08/2024
Time pressure
- Never: 0%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 8.33%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 33.33%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 45.83%
- Every day: 12.5%
n = 24, Occupational Expert 08/2024
Conflict situations
- Never: 12.5%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 58.33%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 20.83%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 8.33%
- Every day: 0%
n = 24, Occupational Expert 08/2024
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 34.78%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 56.52%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 4.35%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 0%
- Every day: 4.35%
n = 23, Occupational Expert 08/2024
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 29.17%
- Fairly serious: 37.5%
- Serious: 8.33%
- Very serious: 20.83%
- Extremely serious: 4.17%
n = 24, Occupational Expert 08/2024
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O*NET-SOC 19-3011.00 · SOC 19-3011 (exact, high confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8