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Universities and Colleges
Harvard University, University of Chicago, Stanford University
Economics Teachers, Postsecondary
Economics teachers at the college level spend much of their time explaining how markets, policy, and data connect in real life, from econometrics to price theory and macroeconomics. The job is a balance between teaching and everything that supports it: building courses, advising students, and serving on committees, with a doctorate usually required and a lot of work happening outside the classroom.
Also known as Economics ProfessorProfessor of EconomicsLecturer in EconomicsAssistant Professor of EconomicsEconomics Instructor
Median Salary
$119,980
Mean $133,140
U.S. Workforce
~12K
1.2K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+2.1%
15.8K to 16.1K
Entry Education
Doctoral or professional degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Economics Teachers, Postsecondary sits in the Education category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~12K workers, with a median annual pay of $119,980 and roughly 1.2K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 15.8 K in 2024 to 16.1K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Doctoral degree in economics or a related field, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Graduate Teaching Assistant and can progress toward Full Professor / Department Chair. High-value skills usually include Econometrics, Stata & R, Curriculum Design & Assessment, and Learning Management Systems (Canvas, Blackboard), paired with soft skills such as Speaking, Active Listening, and Instructing.
Core Responsibilities
- Meet with students during office hours to answer questions and help them plan classes or career steps.
- Redesign courses and update lessons, readings, and teaching methods so the material stays current.
- Give lectures to undergraduate and graduate students on topics like econometrics, pricing, and macroeconomics.
- Put together syllabi, homework, handouts, and other course materials for each class.
Keep exploring: more Education careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Meet with students during office hours to answer questions and help them plan classes or career steps.
02 Redesign courses and update lessons, readings, and teaching methods so the material stays current.
03 Give lectures to undergraduate and graduate students on topics like econometrics, pricing, and macroeconomics.
04 Put together syllabi, homework, handouts, and other course materials for each class.
05 Choose textbooks and other teaching resources for the course.
06 Serve on department or university committees and advise students on academic and career choices.
Industries That Hire
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Community Colleges
Miami Dade College, Santa Monica College, Phoenix College
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Business Schools
Wharton School, Kellogg School of Management, London Business School
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Online Higher Education
Southern New Hampshire University, Western Governors University, Arizona State University
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Public Policy Schools
Harvard Kennedy School, Georgetown McCourt School, UC Berkeley Goldman School
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Liberal Arts Colleges
Williams College, Amherst College, Swarthmore College
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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Pay is strong for higher education work, with a mean annual salary of $133,140 and a median of $119,980.
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BLS lists no required work experience and no on-the-job training, so the main barrier is earning the degree.
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The job mixes teaching, writing, analysis, and student advising instead of repeating one narrow task all day.
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Semester schedules can create predictable blocks of time for course prep, office hours, and breaks between terms.
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You get to shape how students think about real economic problems, from inflation to labor markets and public policy.
Challenges
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The education barrier is steep: 80.8% of workers in this role have a doctoral degree, and most schools expect one for full-time jobs.
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Growth is slow at 2.1% from 2024 to 2034, so the field is not expanding quickly.
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There are only about 1.2K annual openings for a workforce of 12,420, which makes permanent openings competitive.
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A lot of the job happens offstage in office hours, committee meetings, grading, and course revision, not just in lectures.
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The academic labor market often leans on adjunct and temporary contracts, which can pay much less and offer weaker job security than the headline salary suggests.
Career Progression
Graduate Teaching Assistant
0-2 years
$30K-$45K
Supports professors, leads discussion sections, and gets practice explaining economic ideas to students.
Adjunct Economics Instructor
1-5 years
$46K-$70K
Teaches one or more classes on a part-time or contract basis, often at more than one school.
Economics Teacher, Postsecondary THIS ROLE
5-12 years
$98K-$145K
Teaches college courses, updates curriculum, advises students, and may take part in departmental service.
Full Professor / Department Chair
12+ years
$146K-$190K
Leads courses and research, mentors junior faculty, and helps manage department goals and staffing.
Education Paths
Doctoral degree in economics or a related field
The standard entry route, held by 80.8% of workers in this role.
Post-master's certificate
A smaller path used by 9.68% of workers, often by people who already have graduate training and want to move into college teaching.
Master's degree in economics or a related field
An alternative route for 7.37% of workers, but many full-time openings still prefer or require a doctorate.
Bachelor's degree with teaching or industry experience
A rare path, used by 2.15% of workers, and usually limited to adjunct, part-time, or short-term teaching roles.
Key Skills
Technical
Econometrics, Stata & R 84%
Curriculum Design & Assessment 82%
Learning Management Systems (Canvas, Blackboard) 80%
Academic Research Databases (JSTOR, EconLit) 79%
Microsoft Excel & Statistical Analysis 78%
PowerPoint, Zoom & Classroom Technology 76%
Soft Skills
SpeakingActive ListeningInstructingReading ComprehensionWritingCritical Thinking Job Outlook and Trends
+2.1%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
1.2K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 15.8K to 16.1 K over the next decade, representing 2.1% growth. Around 1.2 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Limited. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.