Career comparison
Business Professor vs. Economics Professor
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Economics professors earn more at the median ($123,920 vs. $99,080), while economics professors usually get to work faster (5–6 years after a bachelor’s of training). Business professors teach college courses in management, marketing, finance and accounting. Economics professors teach how markets, money and policy work, and research the economy.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Business Professor | Economics Professor | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $99,080 | $123,920 |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $47,180 – $209,470 | $64,060 – $224,200 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +5.9% (faster than average) | +2.4% (slower than average) |
| Openings per year | 7,600 | 1,000 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 5–7 years after a bachelor’s | 5–6 years after a bachelor’s |
| Key credential | Ph.D. or DBA | Ph.D. in economics |
| Work setting | Business faculty work in classrooms, offices and online courses at colleges and universities.. | Faculty work in classrooms and offices at colleges and universities.. |
What each job does
Business Professor
- Teach business courses
- Design syllabi and assignments
- Lead case discussions
- Advise students and student clubs
- Conduct and publish research
Economics Professor
- Teach economics courses
- Analyze economic data
- Conduct research
- Publish papers
- Advise students
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working independently, high-pay, and desk work. Both are part of the education & childcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose business professor if…
- I love teaching
- I enjoy business strategy
- I like research
Choose economics professor if…
- I love economics
- I enjoy data
- I like teaching
Still torn? Take the Business Professor fit quiz and the Economics Professor fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, business professor or economics professor?
Economics Professors earn more at the median: $123,920 versus $99,080 for business professors, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Economics Professors typically train faster (5–6 years after a bachelor’s) than business professors (5–7 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects business professors to grow +5.9% from 2025–35, compared with +2.4% for economics professors.