Top Economics Journals

All academics know how important it is to get your work published. The journal which you publish your work in can have a big effect on how it is perceived and on how many people it reaches, so it’s important to make the right decision when submitting your work for publication. You want to make sure that you submit to a journal which has a strong professional reputation for your work to be taken seriously.

Also, as a reader it’s useful to know about the most popular and prestigious journals, so that you can more easily locate information which you need when doing literature reviews. For this reason, we’re sharing a list of the top 10 journals in the field of economics, so you can see at a glance which are the big-name journals you should be aware of.

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1. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press

This is the oldest English language professional journal in the field of economics, and one of the most respected. It covers all aspects of the field but has a specialisation in microtheory and macroeconomics – both empirical and theoretical work.

2. Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier

A journal with a focus on applied papers and case studies, including conjectural papers which address issues less quantifiable and more descriptive in approach than is typical for other are journals in the field.

3. Journal of Finance, American Finance Association

For the related field of finance, the Journal of Finance is one of the top places to publish, along with the Review of Financial Studies and the Journal of Financial Economics.

4. Econometrica, Econometric Society

With a specialisation in econometrics, this journal has been established since 1933. It aims to attract high-quality research through awarding of the Frisch Medal every two years, which recognises outstanding research published in the journal.

5. Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association

This journal commissions peer-reviewed survey and review articles which aim to keep readers informed about the current state of the economics literature. The journal also features book reviews, information about newly published books, and an index of economics dissertations from North American universities.

6. Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press

Another long-standing journal, the Journal of Political Economy was first published in 1892 and has since covered both theoretical and empirical work in economics which could have a long-term impact on the state of the field. Its specialisations include monetary theory, fiscal policy, labour economics, development, micro and macroeconomic theory, international trade and finance, industrial organization, and social economics.

7. American Economic Review, American Economic Association

Established in 1911, this is another well-established and well-respected journal in the field of economics. Once a year, in May, an issue is dedicated to presenting proceedings and papers from the annual meeting of the American Economic Association.

8. Review of Economic Studies, Oxford University Press

Another long-established journal, RESTUD as it is known is a must-read for theoretical and applied economics. It was founded with the specific intent to publish work from young and up-and-coming economics researchers; a mission which it continues to this day.

9. Review of Financial Studies, Oxford University Press

With a focus on financial economics specifically, this journal published on the behalf of the Society for Financial Studies accepts both theoretical and empirical papers which fit in the intersection between finance and economics.

10. Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier

Another influential journal in this field is the Journal of Econometrics, established in 1973. The focus of the journal is on econometrics methodologies as well as the way in which these methodologies can be applied to substantive areas of economics.

11. The Review of Economics and Statistics, Harvard Kennedy School

Already over a hundred years old, the Review of Economics and Statistics is a general journal of applied quantitative economics. The journal also published collections of papers devoted to a single topic of interest, be it methodological or empirical.

12. Journal of Economic Growth, Springer Science+Business Media

This journal predominantly published research into economic growth and comparative economic development. Research is often based over the contemporary period, but sometimes also includes insights into the entire course of history. Some key topic areas include income distribution, demographic transition, human capital formation, technological change and structural transformation in the growth process.

13. Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier Science

Founded in 1975, this journal is a leader in macroeconomic research. It is often ranked highly in its specialist subject area, and accepts submissions in all areas of macroeconomics. On alternate years the Journal of Monetary Economics published eight and nine volumes, using proceeds from a conference sponsored by the Study Center Gerzensee of the Swiss National Bank to fund its biennial ninth volume.