Economists Salary
In San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR, economists earn $70,750 at the median, or about $34.02 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $86K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100), that's roughly $70,750 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $663/month, or 14.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $71K get you in San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas’s Regional Price Parity (100). 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 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas
Pay for economists in San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas runs about 43% below the U.S. median of $125K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $663/month, 13.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas can be a reasonable trade-off for economistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR
Entry-level economists (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $71K. Top earners bring in $86K or more, a $35K 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 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a economist afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas?
Yes — at the median salary of $71K, rent takes 13.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $663/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for economists in San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new economists typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,063/month. At HUD’s $663/month FMR, rent would take 22% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is economist a high-paying job in San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas?
Local pay runs 43% below the national median — $71K here vs. $125K nationally.
How does San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas compare to the national average for economists?
San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas pays $71K median vs. the U.S. average of $125K — that’s -43%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100), the purchasing-power equivalent is $71K — below the national median.
How much do economists make in San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR?
The median is $70,750 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,050, and experienced economists can clear $85,630. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $71K enough to live in San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,847/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $663/month, which eats 13.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a economists salary go in San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas?
San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median economists salary is worth about $70,750 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.