Salary distribution
Where California economists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $84,580 and $157,970, with a median of $100,510.
Economists in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 174 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $137,510. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 53 | $95,000 |
| Level II — qualified | 66 | $149,952 |
| Level III — experienced | 28 | $176,200 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 13 | $190,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Economists in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analysis Group, Inc. | Analyst | 17 | $110,000 |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | Economist II | 15 | $185,000 |
| Cornerstone Research, Inc. | Associate | 12 | $197,500 |
| The Brattle Group | Senior Research Analyst | 11 | $116,316 |
| CRA International, Inc. | Associate - Competition | 10 | $111,500 |
| The Leland Stanford, Jr University | Social Science Research Scholar | 6 | $106,000 |
| TikTok U.S. Data Security Inc. | Data Scientist, Product Analytics - USDS | 5 | $154,151 |
| Econic Partners US LLC | Associate Economist | 5 | $165,000 |
| The University of Southern California | Research Scientist | 4 | $118,521 |
| University of California, Berkeley | Research Data Analyst | 3 | $72,600 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Research Associate at Harvard University$104,104Palo AltoDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-502168
- Data Scientist, Product Analytics - USDS at TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC$172,000San JoseDecided Dec 29, 2025I-202-25354-499879
- Research Data Analyst at University of California, Berkeley$72,600BerkeleyDecided Dec 23, 2025I-200-25351-489273
- Economist II at Amazon.com Services LLC$194,250SunnyvaleDecided Dec 19, 2025I-200-25346-477722
- Manager, Data Science and Analytics at Petco Animal Supplies Stores, Inc.$192,000San DiegoDecided Dec 16, 2025I-200-25343-469207
- Economist II at Amazon.com Services LLC$194,250SunnyvaleDecided Dec 8, 2025I-200-25335-444647
- Target Setting Director at Salesforce, Inc.$214,200San FranciscoDecided Dec 8, 2025I-200-25335-446585
- Hoover Research Fellow at The Leland Stanford, Jr University$100,000StanfordDecided Nov 18, 2025I-200-25315-397946
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Economists pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Economists specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 97 certified offers. The most common variant is Economist at a median of $163,151.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economist | Amazon.com Services LLC | 30 | $163,151 |
| Analyst | Analysis Group, Inc. | 20 | $97,000 |
| Research Analyst | The Brattle Group | 9 | $113,478 |
| Data Scientist, Product Analytics - USDS | TikTok U.S. Data Security Inc. | 7 | $154,151 |
| Associate - Competition | CRA International, Inc. | 5 | $95,000 |
| Product Manager | ByteDance Inc. | 5 | $180,731 |
| Research Associate | Cornerstone Research, Inc. | 4 | $162,500 |
| Manager | Analysis Group, Inc. | 4 | $211,000 |
| Social Science Research Scholar | The Leland Stanford, Jr University | 4 | $106,000 |
| Consulting Associate - Competition | CRA International, Inc. | 3 | $128,000 |
| Managerial Economist | Emphasis Brilliance Inc | 3 | $180,000 |
| Researcher | Dialogue AI Inc. | 3 | $150,000 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Economists in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 173 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $125,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | Analysis Group, Inc. | 81 | $125,000 |
| Technology and software | TikTok U.S. Data Security Inc. | 27 | $154,151 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 18 | $186,446 |
| Education | The Leland Stanford, Jr University | 17 | $106,000 |
| Finance and insurance | Innovius Capital Management, LLC | 13 | $148,658 |
| Energy and utilities | Avantus LLC | 6 | $116,150 |
| Manufacturing | Tesla, Inc. | 4 | $140,738 |
| Real estate | Zillow, Inc. | 2 | $199,880 |
| Transportation and logistics | Federal Express Corporation | 2 | $113,932 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Enterprise Foundation | 1 | $87,838 |
| Media and entertainment | AEG PRESENTS, LLC | 1 | $93,797 |
| Government and public sector | California Public Utilities Commission | 1 | $92,976 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Master's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.6 / 5
Mathematics
Knowledge
- 4.5 / 5
Economics and Accounting
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
English Language
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Written Comprehension
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Mathematics
Basic skill
- 4.1 / 5
Critical Thinking
Cross-functional
- 4.1 / 5
Reading Comprehension
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
Writing
Basic skill
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Study economic and statistical data in area of specialization, such as finance, labor, or agriculture.
- 02
Conduct research on economic issues, and disseminate research findings through technical reports or scientific articles in journals.
- 03
Compile, analyze, and report data to explain economic phenomena and forecast market trends, applying mathematical models and statistical techniques.
- 04
Supervise research projects and students' study projects.
- 05
Teach theories, principles, and methods of economics.
- 06
Study the socioeconomic impacts of new public policies, such as proposed legislation, taxes, services, and regulations.
- 07
Formulate recommendations, policies, or plans to solve economic problems or to interpret markets.
- 08
Explain economic impact of policies to the public.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+1.1%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Slower than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for economists in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Francisco$134,410
- Los Angeles$118,190
- Riverside$104,970
- San Diego$102,220
- Sacramento$92,270
Compare Economists pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Economists in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Economists in California is $100,510.
- How does California compare to the national median for Economists?
- The California median is -15.7% versus the BLS national figure of $119,230.
- What is the salary range for Economists in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $71,260 and the 90th-percentile at $193,500, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Economists a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 1.1% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Economists?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Master's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.