Economics Teachers, Postsecondary

The economics professor teaches and researches economics—educating students in microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics, and applied fields while producing scholarship that advances understanding of how economies function. A typical week during the academic term blends teaching with research and service. Perhaps 30% of time goes to teaching: preparing lectures, conducting classes and seminars, meeting with students. Another 45% involves research—analyzing data, developing models, writing papers. The remaining time splits between grading, committee work, advising, and professional activities.

People who thrive as economics professors combine strong quantitative ability with economic intuition and the persistence that rigorous research requires. Successful professors develop research specializations while building the pedagogical skills that economics education demands. They must produce research for highly ranked journals and often engage with policy debates. Those who struggle often cannot produce publications at rates top programs require or find the technical demands of modern economics overwhelming. Others fail because they cannot communicate economic concepts effectively to non-economists.

Economics education provides analytical frameworks that many careers require while advancing understanding of markets, policy, and economic behavior. The field has significant policy influence and produces graduates valued in finance, consulting, and government. Economics professors appear in discussions of economic education, policy analysis, and the academic institutions that train economists.

Practitioners cite the powerful analytical frameworks of economics and the policy influence of economic research as primary rewards. The research can shape policy debates. The analytical tools are genuinely powerful. The students have strong career prospects. The field is well-funded compared to other social sciences. The work addresses consequential questions. Common frustrations include the intense publication competition and the gap between careful research and actual policy outcomes. Many find that policymakers ignore inconvenient economic findings. The quantitative demands have increased substantially. Internal debates about methodology are contentious. PhD programs in economics are extremely competitive.

This career requires a doctoral degree in economics from a competitive program, with research productivity essential. Strong quantitative, analytical, and teaching skills are required. The role suits those passionate about economic questions who can compete in academic publishing. It is poorly suited to those preferring qualitative approaches, uncomfortable with mathematical modeling, or seeking direct policy influence. Compensation is relatively good among academic fields, with opportunities in business schools often paying more.