Economist pipeline contraction

Economics job postings remain below pre‑COVID norms and are now hit by a 10% Fed workforce cut, federal and World Bank hiring freezes, and hiring freezes at major universities. This simultaneous pullback across government and academia shrinks entry points for new PhDs and mid‑career economists. — A thinner economist pipeline can weaken evidence‑based policymaking, regulatory analysis, and teaching at a time of complex economic challenges.

Sources

Some Links, 10/3/2025

Arnold Kling 2025.10.03 90% relevant

Kling cites Chris Brunet and Oliver Kim on the record‑large econ PhD applicant pool and the concurrent demand shock—Jerome Powell’s Fed cutting staff by 10%, a federal hiring freeze, and a World Bank freeze—directly mirroring the described contraction in economist pipelines.

The evolution of the economics job market

Tyler Cowen 2025.09.10 100% relevant

Oliver Kim’s summary: ~16% postings drop versus 2015–19, Powell’s Fed 10% cut, federal/World Bank freezes, and freezes at Harvard, MIT, UW, Notre Dame, Northwestern.