Economics Teachers, Postsecondary
Economics Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1063) earn a median $123,920 a year in the United States, with 11,560 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New Hampshire.
What economics teachers, postsecondary do
Economics teachers teach college courses in econometrics, price theory, macroeconomics, and related fields. They prepare course materials, lecture, set and grade problem sets and examinations, and keep records of attendance and grades. Faculty with research duties conduct studies and publish their results in journals, books, or electronic media. Business teachers, who cover accounting and management, and political science teachers are counted separately. Titles run from adjunct instructor to assistant, associate, and full professor, and some faculty teach in specialties such as agricultural economics. Beyond the classroom they plan and revise curricula and course materials, and they keep up with their field through current literature, conversations with colleagues, and professional organizations. The work is academic instruction in economics, whether a post is mostly teaching or a combination of teaching and research.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a doctoral degree.
Also called: Adjunct Economics Instructor, Adjunct Professor, Agricultural Economics Professor, Agricultural Economics Teacher, Assistant Professor.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 11,560 |
| Annual | $64,060 | $86,840 | $123,920 | $168,770 | $224,200 | $138,850 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where economics teachers, postsecondary earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 80 | 0.11 | 1.52 |
| Annual | $126,290 | $167,770 | $201,610 | $323,840 | $323,840 | $236,510 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 750 | 0.21 | 2.76 |
| Annual | $84,380 | $110,130 | $164,410 | $214,310 | $346,200 | $185,980 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 220 | 0.32 | 4.26 |
| Annual | $94,510 | $128,480 | $161,860 | $211,020 | $217,850 | $166,230 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 300 | 0.18 | 2.37 |
| Annual | $70,380 | $99,260 | $155,950 | $213,490 | $402,560 | $180,860 | ||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 770 | 0.04 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $79,050 | $100,310 | $137,360 | $205,580 | $266,470 | $160,800 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,240 | 0.13 | 1.72 |
| Annual | $73,450 | $87,660 | $127,500 | $178,780 | $233,490 | $145,760 | ||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 770 | 0.04 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $79,050 | $100,310 | $137,360 | $205,580 | $266,470 | $160,800 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 770 | 0.05 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $58,920 | $83,130 | $118,530 | $160,330 | $221,670 | $131,650 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 750 | 0.21 | 2.76 |
| Annual | $84,380 | $110,130 | $164,410 | $214,310 | $346,200 | $185,980 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 610 | 0.10 | 1.35 |
| Annual | $67,320 | $97,360 | $117,970 | $129,900 | $202,670 | $121,840 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 30 | 0.12 | 1.56 |
| Annual | $59,990 | $122,290 | $220,690 | $220,690 | $378,850 | $205,000 | ||||
| College Station-Bryan, TX | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 50 | 0.38 | 5.12 |
| Annual | $64,180 | $99,800 | $219,160 | $284,130 | $284,130 | $190,330 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 50 | 0.02 | 0.26 |
| Annual | $81,160 | $121,170 | $203,720 | $230,000 | $286,730 | $181,860 | ||||
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 30 | 0.16 | 2.10 |
| Annual | $120,620 | $127,200 | $202,030 | $221,490 | $259,690 | $182,030 | ||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 40 | 0.03 | 0.35 |
| Annual | $80,430 | $127,610 | $194,520 | $210,620 | $250,700 | $174,140 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 930 | 0.10 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $64,100 | $81,630 | $132,140 | $205,120 | $270,890 | $151,960 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 530 | 0.20 | 2.66 |
| Annual | $84,380 | $118,200 | $174,910 | $229,710 | $411,850 | $206,420 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 360 | 0.12 | 1.55 |
| Annual | $83,450 | $102,100 | $155,060 | $211,020 | $263,880 | $161,520 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 290 | 0.10 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $75,150 | $102,070 | $127,430 | $168,580 | $216,790 | $138,710 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 260 | 0.06 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $59,010 | $80,250 | $124,360 | $165,470 | $201,210 | $124,370 | ||||
Top industries employing economics teachers, postsecondary
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools employ 87.5% of economics teachers, postsecondary nationally (10,110 jobs) at a median $127,420 a year, followed by Junior Colleges (12.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 10,110 | 87.5% | $127,420 | * |
| Junior Colleges NAICS 611200 | 1,440 | 12.5% | $81,690 | * |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (11,560). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $104,940 for economics teachers, postsecondary in May 2021 and $123,920 in May 2025, with employment of 11,790 and 11,560.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $104,940 | * | 11,790 |
| May 2022 | $103,930 | * | 11,640 |
| May 2023 | $115,300 | * | 12,210 |
| May 2024 | $119,980 | * | 12,420 |
| May 2025 | $123,920 | * | 11,560 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
42 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire profile | * | $201,610 | $126,290 | $323,840 | 80 | 0.11 | 1.52 |
| 2 | Massachusetts profile | * | $164,410 | $84,380 | $346,200 | 750 | 0.21 | 2.76 |
| 3 | District of Columbia profile | * | $161,860 | $94,510 | $217,850 | 220 | 0.32 | 4.26 |
| 4 | Connecticut profile | * | $155,950 | $70,380 | $402,560 | 300 | 0.18 | 2.37 |
| 5 | California profile | * | $137,360 | $79,050 | $266,470 | 770 | 0.04 | 0.57 |
| 6 | Arizona profile | * | $137,250 | $87,100 | $297,420 | 100 | 0.03 | 0.41 |
| 7 | Oregon profile | * | $136,450 | $74,790 | $204,780 | 180 | 0.09 | 1.24 |
| 8 | Vermont profile | * | $134,850 | $74,240 | $172,320 | 80 | 0.25 | 3.40 |
| 9 | Maryland profile | * | $133,540 | $79,090 | $315,500 | 200 | 0.07 | 0.97 |
| 10 | Louisiana profile | * | $132,670 | $72,890 | $211,430 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.47 |
| 11 | Nebraska profile | * | $130,980 | $63,360 | $210,440 | 90 | 0.09 | 1.21 |
| 12 | Michigan profile | * | $129,400 | $61,470 | $307,600 | 350 | 0.08 | 1.06 |
| 13 | Virginia profile | * | $128,790 | $57,540 | $229,470 | 460 | 0.11 | 1.52 |
| 14 | Utah profile | * | $128,370 | $43,370 | $171,180 | 150 | 0.09 | 1.18 |
| 15 | New York profile | * | $127,500 | $73,450 | $233,490 | 1,240 | 0.13 | 1.72 |
| 16 | Maine profile | * | $125,960 | $59,820 | $172,930 | 70 | 0.10 | 1.39 |
| 17 | Illinois profile | * | $124,850 | $59,090 | $202,490 | 460 | 0.08 | 1.00 |
| 18 | Texas profile | * | $118,530 | $58,920 | $221,670 | 770 | 0.05 | 0.73 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania profile | * | $117,970 | $67,320 | $202,670 | 610 | 0.10 | 1.35 |
| 20 | Georgia profile | * | $117,600 | $42,810 | $209,260 | 370 | 0.08 | 1.00 |
| 21 | Missouri profile | * | $116,530 | $61,760 | $380,970 | 150 | 0.05 | 0.67 |
| 22 | North Carolina profile | * | $114,200 | $53,890 | $219,260 | 490 | 0.10 | 1.34 |
| 23 | New Mexico profile | * | $110,020 | $81,580 | $132,270 | 60 | 0.07 | 0.92 |
| 24 | New Jersey profile | * | $109,880 | $32,220 | $222,400 | 410 | 0.10 | 1.29 |
| 25 | South Carolina profile | * | $109,060 | $70,860 | $162,800 | 110 | 0.05 | 0.67 |
| 26 | Minnesota profile | * | $108,460 | $73,120 | $218,670 | 250 | 0.09 | 1.16 |
| 27 | Oklahoma profile | * | $107,260 | $53,430 | $171,610 | 110 | 0.07 | 0.87 |
| 28 | Kentucky profile | * | $106,250 | $37,900 | $234,300 | 120 | 0.06 | 0.79 |
| 29 | Ohio profile | * | $105,930 | $61,040 | $166,450 | 410 | 0.07 | 0.99 |
| 30 | Indiana profile | * | $105,390 | $61,910 | $234,330 | 150 | 0.05 | 0.65 |
| 31 | Tennessee profile | * | $104,560 | $58,850 | $172,430 | 250 | 0.08 | 1.03 |
| 32 | Kansas profile | * | $103,490 | $80,190 | $210,210 | 130 | 0.09 | 1.22 |
| 33 | Alabama profile | * | $101,250 | $61,260 | $145,900 | 90 | 0.04 | 0.57 |
| 34 | Wisconsin profile | * | $99,970 | $71,500 | $222,110 | 310 | 0.11 | 1.41 |
| 35 | Colorado profile | * | $98,870 | $58,710 | $166,470 | 270 | 0.10 | 1.28 |
| 36 | Washington profile | * | $96,500 | $61,810 | $170,710 | 190 | 0.05 | 0.73 |
| 37 | West Virginia profile | * | $91,170 | $58,380 | $129,960 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.86 |
| 38 | Florida profile | * | $91,140 | $52,500 | $129,930 | 150 | 0.02 | 0.21 |
| 39 | Mississippi profile | * | $88,290 | $59,150 | $101,560 | 70 | 0.06 | 0.80 |
| 40 | South Dakota profile | * | $85,700 | $52,690 | $126,780 | 40 | 0.08 | 1.03 |
| 41 | Iowa profile | * | $85,090 | $63,790 | $136,300 | 80 | 0.05 | 0.73 |
| 42 | Arkansas profile | * | $76,610 | $69,870 | $130,370 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.38 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (25-1060), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Educational Instruction and Library Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 25-1063 Economics Teachers, Postsecondary.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked. A withheld or top-coded median in that table shows the marker explained above.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them. A withheld or top-coded cell in that table shows the marker explained above.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 25-1063, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 25-1063.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.