Career comparison
Economist vs. Statistician
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Economists earn more at the median ($124,720 vs. $105,650), while statisticians usually get to work faster (2 years after a bachelor’s of training). Economists study how money, resources and decisions shape the economy. Statisticians design studies and analyze data to answer questions in health, business and science.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Economist | Statistician | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $124,720 ($59.96/hr) | $105,650 ($50.79/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $67,360 – $238,060 | $64,000 – $174,050 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +4.7% (about as fast as average) | +11.0% (much faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 1,100 | 1,900 |
| Typical entry education | Master's degree | Master's degree |
| Training time | 2–6 years after a bachelor’s | 2 years after a bachelor’s |
| Key credential | Master’s or Ph.D. in economics | PStat |
| Work setting | Economists work in offices for governments, firms and research institutions.. | Statisticians work in offices for pharma, government, universities and companies; many work remotely.. |
What each job does
Economist
- Collect economic data
- Build models and forecasts
- Analyze policies
- Write reports
- Present findings
Statistician
- Design studies
- Choose methods
- Analyze data
- Build models
- Check assumptions
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with information, high-pay, and problem-solving. They sit in different fields, business & office and science, engineering & lab, but share transferable skills such as critical thinking and communication.
Which should you choose?
Choose economist if…
- I love data and theory
- I follow economic news
- I like writing
Choose statistician if…
- I love data
- I’m skeptical of easy answers
- I can code
Still torn? Take the Economist fit quiz and the Statistician fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, economist or statistician?
Economists earn more at the median: $124,720 versus $105,650 for statisticians, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Statisticians typically train faster (2 years after a bachelor’s) than economists (2–6 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects statisticians to grow +11.0% from 2025–35, compared with +4.7% for economists.