Economist
Drawn directly from OPM FedScope (June 2026), this page tracks headcount, average salary, tenure, and pay comparison for the Economist occupation series (code 0110).
The verdict
With 3,774 employees (0.2% of the federal civilian workforce), Economist ranks as a smaller, specialized federal occupation within the Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare Group family, and headcount declined 0.4% from the prior period. Its average salary of $158,425 pays well above the $117,339 federal average.
- Employees
- 3,774
- Share of workforce
- 0.2%
- Avg salary
- $158,425
- Avg tenure
- 14.1 yrs
FedScope read on Economist (dense series)
Federal agencies employ 3,774 people in the Economist occupation (OPM code 0110), accounting for 0.2% of the total federal civilian workforce of 1,953,300 for the June 2026 reporting window. Headcount in this occupation moved down by -0.4% versus the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.
The average salary for Economist is $158,425 per year. Salaries moved down by -0.0% from the prior period, a small shift, within the range of normal year-to-year rounding rather than a broad pay-table change. Average length of service in this role is 14.1 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career.
Economist sits inside the Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare Group family (code 01), which contains 29 related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Economist postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare Group family.
Inside the Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare Group family (29 occupations, 101,196 employees combined), Economist holds the #6 spot by headcount, a 3.7% share of the family total. Its average salary ranks in the top half (93rd percentile) of pay among Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare Group occupations.
Salary context · rich-pay series
How Economist pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$158,425
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
+35.0%
Where Economist ranks on rich federal pay
Its average salary of $158,425 is higher than 93% of federal occupation series (503 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Economist sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Economist ranks higher than 93%.
Related Occupations in Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare Group
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Insurance Administration | 24,044 | $105,855 | 17.7 yrs |
| Social Work | 22,339 | $112,147 | 10 yrs |
| Social Science | 13,513 | $109,039 | 11.8 yrs |
| Intelligence | 12,860 | n/a | 15 yrs |
| Psychology | 10,259 | $144,240 | 10.7 yrs |
| Foreign Affairs | 2,748 | $155,920 | 14.4 yrs |
| Health Insurance Administration | 2,443 | $149,476 | 15.3 yrs |
| Social Science Aid and Technician | 1,534 | $67,632 | 12.4 yrs |
| Archeology | 1,448 | $91,675 | 12 yrs |
| Social Services Aid and Assistant | 962 | $59,911 | 11.7 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this dense headcount
Two peer sets for Economist outside the Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare Group family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar dense headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (3,774 here).
Similar rich average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($158,425 here).
Key takeaways
- Economist pays well above the federal average by 35.0% ($158,425 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 93rd percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 3,774 employees, 0.2% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 0.4% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Economist ranks #107 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Inside the Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare Group family (29 occupations, 101,196 employees combined), Economist holds the #6 spot by headcount, a 3.7% share of the family total.
OPM FedScope and Federal Workforce Data figures are federal civilian headcounts, average salaries, and length-of-service statistics - not job-quality scores, hiring advice, or a live vacancy listing. A larger or higher-paid agency is not a better employer.