Economists Salary
In Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL, economists earn $103,690 at the median, or about $49.85 an hour. The range runs from $67K at the entry level to $171K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.89), that's roughly $102,775 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,977/month, or 28.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $104K actually covers in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater’s Regional Price Parity (100.89). 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
Pay for economists in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $125K. Rent runs $1,977/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.89) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for economists in metros near Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $102K | $101K |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $118K | $103K |
| Tallahassee | $70K | $75K |
| Jacksonville | $137K | $138K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
Entry-level economists (10th percentile) start around $67K. Mid-career wages sit at $104K. Top earners bring in $171K or more, a $104K 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 annually. We'll email you when Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a economist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Yes — at the median salary of $104K, rent takes 29.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,977/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for economists in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new economists typically earn — is $67K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,607/month. At HUD’s $1,977/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $104K here vs. $125K nationally.
How does Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater compare to the national average for economists?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater pays $104K median vs. the U.S. average of $125K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $103K — below the national median.
How much do economists make in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL?
The median is $103,690 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $66,660, and experienced economists can clear $171,010. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $104K enough to live in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,778/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,977/month, which eats 29.2% 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater has a Regional Price Parity of 100.89 (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 $102,775 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.