PublicPay

Economist federal salary series 0110

Full-time federal employees in the Economist series earned a median of $154,263 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 41% above the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $125,845 and $187,093.

Median pay
$154,263
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$125,845–$187,093
25th–75th percentile
Employees
3,802
in this series, all schedules
Change in median
+3.7%
vs. September 2025
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
Economist
All federal (full-time)

What shapes economist pay

The most common grade with published pay is GS-13 (900 employees, median $136,833). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the Department of Labor (1,004 employees). Among states with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay, the median is highest in District of Columbia ($182,295) and lowest in Texas ($123,649), a gap that partly reflects locality pay differences. Federal pay depends mostly on grade and step, plus a locality adjustment for where the job is located; see the GS pay scale explainer.

Economist pay by grade

Grades with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay. GS grades are listed first; other pay plans follow.

Economist pay by grade
Pay plan–grade Employees Median pay Middle 50%
GS-9 51 $70,623 $70,084–$70,623
GS-11 100 $85,447 $84,579–$87,128
GS-12 621 $109,243 $102,415–$116,362
GS-13 900 $136,833 $128,585–$146,143
GS-14 746 $167,902 $158,306–$182,295
GS-15 494 $197,200 $191,850–$197,200
ES (ungraded) 66 $224,786 $212,989–$228,000
NB-6 48 $251,879 $235,038–$270,766
SK-14 64 $231,720 $209,287–$241,714
ZP-3 119 $124,180 $109,456–$132,838
ZP-4 127 $181,434 $164,481–$187,093
ZP-5 39 $197,200 $197,200–$197,200

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Economist pay by agency

Economist pay by agency
Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Department of Labor 1,004 $129,904 $108,997–$152,471
Department of the Treasury 494 $180,110 $148,711–$197,200
Department of Commerce 428 $156,282 $130,080–$187,093
Department of Agriculture 305 $138,024 $118,628–$177,497
Department of Health and Human Services 191 $164,047 $135,069–$187,093
Department of Energy 138 $142,084 $125,845–$167,902
Securities and Exchange Commission 118 $243,997 $221,517–$292,300
Department of Transportation 112 $155,266 $125,845–$185,193
Department of Homeland Security 102 $172,700 $150,519–$186,207
Environmental Protection Agency 86 $158,306 $133,964–$177,497
Federal Trade Commission 80 $197,200 $186,207–$197,200
U.S. International Trade Commission 75 $146,143 $125,845–$186,207
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation 64 $233,869 $124,862–$257,500
Department of the Interior 61 $150,324 $119,761–$172,700
Department of Housing and Urban Development 49 $161,297 $131,594–$181,925

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Economist pay by state

The 10 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.

Economist pay by state
State Employees Median pay Middle 50%
District of Columbia 1,362 $182,295 $146,143–$197,200
Maryland 874 $154,263 $129,255–$187,093
California 138 $146,366 $121,917–$180,850
Georgia 119 $131,316 $107,275–$159,612
Virginia 115 $167,902 $138,884–$196,839
Illinois 97 $130,080 $105,063–$168,728
Pennsylvania 95 $132,923 $108,493–$152,471
Texas 95 $123,649 $102,556–$142,712
Massachusetts 86 $131,790 $113,203–$170,946
New York 82 $142,156 $116,556–$182,811

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Compare economist pay across all states and agencies →

Change since September 2025

The median moved +3.7% from $148,716 in September 2025 to $154,263 in September 2026. Headcount went from 4,517 to 3,802 (−15.8%). A change in the median reflects both pay adjustments and who joined or left the workforce, so it is not the same as a pay raise.

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