The Path to Being an Economics Professor: What Difference Does the Graduate School Make?

Abstract

What success do US graduate economics programs have in terms of having their graduates achieve associate or full professor status in top ranked economics departments? Of the 138 Ph.D. economics programs in the United States, the top fifteen Ph.D. programs in economics produce a substantial share of successful economics research scholars. These fifteen Ph.D. programs in turn get 59% of their faculty from only the top six schools with 39% coming from only two schools, Harvard and MIT. Those two schools are also the PhD origins for half of John Bates Clark Medal recipients. Details for assistant professors, young stars today, American Economics Association Distinguished Fellows, Nobel Laureates, and top overseas economics departments are also discussed.

Keywords: economics PhD market, top economics departments, economics professors

JEL Classification: A10, A11