BEA employees learn expertise on the job and through outside training opportunities. BEA is a collaborative, team-based work environment focused on:

  • Data analysis
  • Statistical programming
  • Technical writing and presentation
  • Research
  • Meeting deadlines

A great place to start your career

BEA is small enough to foster connections throughout the bureau, yet large enough that employees can keep learning something new and growing their careers. At BEA, it’s easy to see how your work contributes to the bureau’s mission.

We recruit students and recent graduates in fields including economics, accounting, statistics, mathematics, and data science. Apply for a Bureau of Economic Analysis internship or entry-level position through www.USAJOBS.gov.

Internship announcements will be titled Student Trainee. Learn about internships in the Pathways Program on the USAJOBS site.

Economists and accountants needed

BEA needs many types of federal government professionals to carry out its mission. Two popular career paths are economist and accountant.

BEA economists use their subject matter expertise to analyze and transform diverse source data, producing some of the nation's most closely watched statistics, including gross domestic product; personal income and consumer spending; and balance of payments and trade. They focus on specific sectors of the economy and are considered experts in their fields. They develop and implement new methodologies to enhance these measures and conduct research on economic concepts and trends.

BEA hires economists with bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and Ph.D.s in economics and related fields, with varying levels of experience. While BEA's focus is macroeconomics, economists come to the Bureau with a wide variety of micro- and macroeconomic backgrounds.

BEA typically hires research economists with Ph.D.s in economics. Research economists are responsible for laying the scientific groundwork for innovations to improve existing BEA estimates; creating new estimates sought by businesses, policymakers, and the public; and addressing measurement challenges.

BEA accountants analyze accounting data and economic data that feed into various BEA statistics. Data are collected primarily on survey reports and are reviewed by accountants for consistency, completeness, and compliance in accordance with reporting requirements and generally accepted accounting principles. BEA hires accountants with bachelor's and master's degrees in accounting, finance, and other related fields, with varying levels of experience.