What makes prices move, markets clear, and policy bite? You teach that, part-time, course by course — turning supply curves and incentives into something undergraduates can actually use. Economics made legible to non-economists.
Lecturing, building problem sets, and grading fill the work, often fit around other jobs or a doctoral program. You teach everyone from majors to students fulfilling a requirement, and connecting models to the news they already follow tends to be what lands. The graphs and math are fixed; making them feel relevant is the part that takes fresh effort each term.
The hard part is the contingent economics of the job itself — per-course pay, short contracts, no guarantee of a section next term. Class sizes and autonomy vary widely by department, and you often build the course on your own time. Steady, benefited positions in this corner of academia are genuinely scarce, and competition is real.
It tends to fit someone who enjoys teaching the subject more than the pay. If you need stability or a research-track post, the role rarely offers it. But if watching a student suddenly see the incentives behind everyday life is satisfying, the work can be worth it.
Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.
Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.
Truest gives you tools to understand your strengths, explore roles that fit, and plan your next move.
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