Economists Salary
In Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA, economists earn $100,410 at the median, or about $48.27 an hour. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $138K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.67), so that salary is closer to $94,131 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,255/month, about 36.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $100K get you in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom’s Regional Price Parity (106.67). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About economists
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What this looks like in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
Pay for economists in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $125K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,255/month, which is 36.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 7% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.67), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for economistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for economists in metros near Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $152K | $133K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $142K | $123K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $123K | $110K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $118K | $111K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
Entry-level economists (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $100K. Top earners bring in $138K or more, a $74K spread from bottom to top.
Economists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Economists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $168K | +34% | 3,000 |
| New Jersey | $168K | +34% | 280 |
| Delaware | $159K | +28% | 70 |
| Maryland | $145K | +16% | 1,130 |
| Kansas | $139K | +11% | 80 |
| Virginia | $138K | +10% | 950 |
| New York | $137K | +10% | 910 |
| North Carolina | $136K | +9% | 290 |
| Idaho | $131K | +5% | 130 |
| Alabama | $130K | +4% | 40 |
| Georgia | $123K | -2% | 260 |
| Oregon | $122K | -2% | 320 |
| Texas | $121K | -3% | 560 |
| Colorado | $121K | -3% | 240 |
| Ohio | $120K | -4% | 140 |
| California | $119K | -4% | 860 |
| Tennessee | $118K | -6% | 80 |
| Missouri | $117K | -6% | 280 |
| Pennsylvania | $115K | -8% | 560 |
| Alaska | $111K | -11% | 80 |
| Washington | $109K | -12% | 450 |
| Massachusetts | $106K | -15% | 1,030 |
| Michigan | $106K | -15% | 320 |
| Minnesota | $105K | -16% | 500 |
| Florida | $102K | -18% | 500 |
| Connecticut | $101K | -19% | 210 |
| Iowa | $96K | -23% | 70 |
| Arkansas | $92K | -27% | 50 |
| Maine | $91K | -27% | 70 |
| Nevada | $91K | -27% | 70 |
| Oklahoma | $90K | -28% | 80 |
| Montana | $89K | -28% | 90 |
| New Hampshire | $86K | -31% | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $84K | -33% | 280 |
| Hawaii | $83K | -33% | 50 |
| Indiana | $81K | -35% | 80 |
| Arizona | $80K | -36% | 340 |
| Nebraska | $76K | -39% | 90 |
| Louisiana | $73K | -41% | 140 |
| Kentucky | $71K | -43% | 100 |
Showing 1–10 of 40 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track economists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a economist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $100K, rent takes 36.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,255/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for economists in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new economists typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,838/month. At HUD’s $2,255/month FMR, rent would take 59% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is economist a high-paying job in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $100K here vs. $125K nationally.
How does Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom compare to the national average for economists?
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom pays $100K median vs. the U.S. average of $125K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $94K — below the national median.
How much do economists make in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA?
The median is $100,410 a year, that works out to about $48 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,960, and experienced economists can clear $138,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $100K enough to live in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,129/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,255/month, which eats 36.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a economists salary go in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom has a Regional Price Parity of 106.67 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median economists salary is worth about $94,131 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do economists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.