Start with the answer
Economists pay in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
The May 2025 BLS OEWS median for Economists is $94,030 per year in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA. It is $176,090 per year in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ. Amherst Town-Northampton, MA is 46.6% below New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ on the published median.
Both rows use SOC 19-3011 and the same annual wage metric. Median means the middle of each area's published wage spread. It is not one worker's pay. The larger median is not proof that one place gives a better job or a better result. It is one wage fact from one source period.
BLS lists 40 wage and salary jobs in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA and 850 in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ. Those are survey job counts, not open posts. Read pay, job scale, local share, and price level as separate facts before you make a choice.
