Annual Salary
£28,000 to £60,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Swap to Law or Politics or go back to all job sectors or go to green jobs
Economists advise government departments, businesses, banks and other organisations on economic matters.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: between 8am and 6pm;
There will be
2.4% more Economist jobs in 2027.
As an economist, you could:
You could work in an office or at a university.
You can get into this job through:
You'll need a degree in economics or a related subject, like:
Some employers may prefer you to have a postgraduate master's degree in economics.
Your university course should include both macro and microeconomics.
You'll usually need:
You could start a Professional Economist Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship, or a Senior Professional Economist Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship to get into this career.
Employers set their own entry requirements for an apprenticeship, which are likely to include maths at GCSE and A level. They may ask for a first degree in economics, or a similar subject, to start the Level 7 apprenticeship.
You'll usually need:
You could start as an economic research officer or analyst in the private sector and work your way up.
You could apply for a place on the Government Economic Service Fast Stream programme, starting out as an assistant economist.
You'll need a degree in economics or a combined degree, with at least 50% economics. A postgraduate award in economics may be acceptable.
You can find professional development training and networking opportunities with the Royal Economic Society and The Society of Professional Economists.
You'll find advice about working as an economist at Discover Economics.
With experience, you could:become a senior economic adviser in a government department or financial institution; work for an economic policy unit; write for economic journals; teach in higher education; specialise, for example in environmental economics
You could also become a self-employed freelance consultant.
You'll find more advice about working as an economist in the public sector through the Government Economic Service.
You'll need: