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Economics Teachers, Postsecondary

Typical education: Doctoral or professional degreeLower pressure

What they do

Teach courses in economics. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Kinds of work

  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $123,920 Median per year Most earn $64,060–$224,200

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
  • Act as advisers to student organizations.
  • Participate in campus and community events.
  • Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
  • Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
  • Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.

Job outlook

United States
2% more jobs by 2035, slower than average · about 1,000 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Colleges, universities, and professional schools89.3%
  • Junior colleges10.3%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Doctoral or professional degreeExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

This is not an entry-level job. Most people need a doctoral degree in economics and a few years of teaching or research experience first, so the path usually takes 10 or more years after high school.

  1. Bachelor's degree in economics

    4 years

    You learn core economic theory, statistics, and math, and you can build strong grades and research experience that help you get into a doctoral program.

  2. Ph.D. in Economics

    5-6 years

    You study advanced economic theory and research methods, often while working as a teaching assistant, which gives you your first real classroom experience.

  3. Visiting Assistant Professor of Economics

    2-4 years

    You teach courses, keep up your research, and build the teaching record and publications that schools look for when hiring a full-time economics teacher.

  4. Economics Teacher, Postsecondary

    Career goal

    You teach economics courses at a college or university, either mainly teaching or with a mix of teaching and research.

Where it can lead

  1. Associate Professor of Economics

    5-7 years of experience first

    You usually earn tenure by showing strong teaching, published research, and service to the school, and you take on more responsibility for courses and student advising.

  2. Professor of Economics

    5-10 years of experience first

    You become a senior scholar who leads research, mentors other faculty and graduate students, and often shapes the direction of the economics program.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take AP Economics, AP Statistics, and calculusThese classes build the economics and math background you will need for a college major and later a doctoral program.
  • Join debate, Model UN, or a business clubThese activities help you practice explaining ideas clearly and understanding how markets and policies work.
  • Tutor younger students in mathTutoring gives you early practice explaining hard ideas step by step, which is a core teaching skill.
  • Read economics news and writingFollowing news about jobs, prices, and policy helps you see how economics applies to real life.
  • Get a starter jobA part-time job, like at a store or restaurant, teaches you how businesses handle money and customers.

In college

  • Major in economics and take econometricsEconometrics combines statistics and economics, and it is one of the most important skills for graduate study and research.
  • Become a teaching assistant or tutorHelping other students with economics or math shows you can teach and gives you experience you can list on graduate applications.
  • Work as a research assistant for a professorResearch experience helps you learn how economists study questions and may lead to a recommendation letter for a Ph.D. program.
  • Join the economics club or attend seminarsClubs and talks help you meet professors and other students who share your interest and can guide your next steps.
  • Take courses in writing and public speakingStrong writing and speaking skills are needed for research papers and classroom teaching.

Tips for getting started

  • Take calculus, statistics, and any math or data-analysis classes you can, because economics doctoral programs expect strong quantitative skills.
  • Ask an economics professor if you can help with research or grading, which builds the research and teaching experience these programs look for.
  • Practice explaining economic ideas to classmates or family members, since clear teaching is a big part of this job.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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