Salary distribution
Where District of Columbia economists fall on the wage curve.
Distribution not available
The Bureau of Labor Statistics suppresses wage percentiles for this occupation and state when the surveyed cell has too few employers to publish without revealing individual firm pay. National figures and adjacent states below remain a useful reference.
Economists in District of Columbia: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 109 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $158,200. 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 | 25 | $105,000 |
| Level II — qualified | 16 | $149,335 |
| Level III — experienced | 31 | $176,000 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 18 | $235,500 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Economists in District of Columbia. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Econic Partners US LLC | Economic Research Analyst | 13 | $125,000 |
| Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System | Economist | 11 | $170,000 |
| The Brattle Group | Associate | 11 | $113,478 |
| CRA International, Inc. | Consulting Associate - Competition | 7 | $192,500 |
| Compass Lexecon LLC | Senior Economist | 7 | $220,000 |
| Analysis Group, Inc. | Associate | 5 | $180,000 |
| Cornerstone Research, Inc. | Associate | 5 | $230,000 |
| BATES WHITE, LLC | MANAGING ECONOMIST | 5 | $240,000 |
| Edgeworth Economics, LLC | Senior Consultant | 4 | $103,000 |
| Institute for Women's Policy Research | Research Associate | 2 | $101,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Research Associate at Institute for Women's Policy Research$70,000WashingtonDecided Dec 23, 2025I-200-25350-488435
- Program Manager at International Initiative for Impact Evaluation$89,600WashingtonDecided Dec 23, 2025I-200-25350-486074
- Consulting Associate - Competition at CRA International, Inc.$133,000WashingtonDecided Dec 18, 2025I-200-25345-476858
- Director at Crowell Global Advisors$190,320WashingtonDecided Nov 25, 2025I-203-25322-418078
- Economist at Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System$170,000Washington, DCDecided Nov 19, 2025I-200-25316-401794
- Associate at Analysis Group, Inc.$180,000WashingtonDecided Nov 18, 2025I-200-25314-393165
- Senior Research Economist at Institute for Women's Policy Research$132,000WashingtonDecided Nov 17, 2025I-200-25311-388095
- Senior Policy Manager at Information Technology and Innovation Foundation$112,000Washington, DCDecided Nov 14, 2025I-200-25310-383150
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 District of Columbia
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 District of Columbia
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 65 certified offers. The most common variant is Economist at a median of $185,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economist | Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System | 28 | $185,000 |
| Research Associate | The Urban Institute | 8 | $109,937 |
| Economic Research Analyst | Econic Partners US LLC | 6 | $112,000 |
| Senior Consultant | Edgeworth Economics, LLC | 6 | $126,335 |
| Analyst | Climate Policy Initiative, Inc. | 5 | $97,500 |
| Director | FTI, LLC | 4 | $175,500 |
| Senior Associate - Competition | CRA International, Inc. | 4 | $210,000 |
| Research Analyst | The Brattle Group | 4 | $104,499 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Economists in District of Columbia, by industry
Median offered wage across 109 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $158,200.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | Econic Partners US LLC | 81 | $158,200 |
| Government and public sector | Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System | 12 | $170,000 |
| Nonprofit and civic | WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE | 9 | $109,874 |
| Education | University of Washington | 3 | $70,008 |
| Technology and software | Bloomberg L.P. | 2 | $127,776 |
| Energy and utilities | Sol Systems, LLC | 1 | $91,888 |
| Finance and insurance | Lafayette Square Holding Company, LLC | 1 | $110,000 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia
Metro-level salary data for economists in major District of Columbia metropolitan areas.
- Washington, D.C.$157,980
Compare Economists pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Economists in District of Columbia?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Economists in District of Columbia is $162,610.
- How does District of Columbia compare to the national median for Economists?
- The District of Columbia median is +36.4% versus the BLS national figure of $119,230.
- 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.