There are constant talks about economic progress or downturns, and even non-economists somehow deal with the widespread economic terms. 

This article lists the top journals in Economics relevant for field researchers and other audiences interested in developing knowledge in the sphere. 

The criteria for including the Top List journals are their impact factors, calculated and presented annually by Scopus. 

Below, find the descriptions, impact factors, and original sources for the 20 Economic journals that have high impact factors in the Scopus list. 

Note that this list is relying on the SCOPUS list of impact factors. As along with the mentioned list, there are other impact factor calculating organizations with different approaches, you may see the difference between the JIF mentioned in this article and in the original links of the journals. 

Quarterly Journal of Economics | 22.7

The journal is the oldest Economic source in the English language, where you may find topics from Economic micro theory to larger aspects like empirical and theoretical macroeconomics. The Oxford University Press publishes QJE for the Harvard University Economics Department. 

Journal of Economic Perspectives | 13.9

JEP was established in 1987 by the American Economic Association. As stated by the journal publishers, it fills the gap between the general interest press and academic economics journal. The topics' range and complexity are wide, allowing it both for classroom use and as a base for further research. 

Journal of Political Economy | 12.1

JPE has provided monthly issues about economic theory and practice since 1892. The journal complies with the list of the most prestigious sources for the economic field and is published by The University of Chicago Press. You can find highly selective and frequently cited articles in the source. 

Review of Environmental Economics and Policy | 11.7

REEP is a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to recent environmental, economic research, and economic analysis of environmental policies. The mentioned topics are covered in symposia, articles, and regular features. The source has the sponsorship of the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change and the Environmental Defense Fund. 

Journal of Economic Growth | 11.3

In the journal, you can find information on economic growth and comparative economic development. The source's main focus is the growth process from the early history of humanity to contemporary times. You may explore topics like income distribution, human capital formation, technological change, etc., in the source.

International Journal of Production Economics | 10.5

Read the journal to explore the connection between engineering and management. Within this frame, topics like manufacturing, production, and process industries are discussed. The source's interdisciplinary nature allows you to read about all production cycles, including product life cycle and material flow cycle. 

American Economic Review | 10.1

One of the oldest journals in economics, the American Economic Review, was established in 1911. It is published every month by the American Economic Association. American Economic Review publishes highly distinguished materials on economics topics. 

Brookings Papers on Economic Activity | 10.1

As you might guess from the journal-title, it belongs to and is published by Brookings Press semi-annually. In each of the two editions within a year, you can read five or six new papers on a wide range of macroeconomic topics. 

Journal of Economic Literature | 10.1

Starting from 1969, the Journal of Economic Literature helps economists keep track of the frequently updated and big volumes of economic literature. All the materials in the journal are commissioned, peer-reviewed surveys, or review articles. 

American Economic Journal: Applied Economics | 9.1

As stated in the journal-title, it's focused on applied economics, particularly on empirical microeconomic issues. The Journal editorial team welcomes new papers on labor economics, development microeconomics, health, education, demography, empirical corporate finance, etc. 

Economic Policy | 9.1

Economic Policy provides information for policymakers in the form of timely and authoritative analysis. The journal's main focus areas are how individual marketers can work towards broad interactions in the world of the economy.

Energy Economics | 8.9

The journal provides information related to energy economics and energy finance. You can read in the source about exploitation, conversion, and use of energy in more detail. Energy Economics journal materials contribute to field experiments, surveys, equilibrium, optimization, and analytical models. 

Economic Geography | 8.7

Economic Geography publishes peer-reviewed original research materials about economic geography. The journal's materials provide empirical evidence for rich theoretical claims. Through the article, you can enrich your knowledge on geographic drivers and economic process implications. 

Journal of Financial Economics | 8.7

The journal's narrow direction is financial economics, covering both theoretical and empirical aspects of the topic. As a specialized forum for research publications, the journal publishes materials on the following areas: capital markets, financial institutions, corporate governance, corporate finance, and the economics of organizations. 

American Economic Journal: Economic Policy | 8.5

The core area of interest for the journal is economic policy in economic outcomes. In more detail, you will read public economics, urban and regional economics, public policy aspect of health, education, welfare, and political institutions, economic regulation, etc. 

Journal of Labor Economics | 7.6

JOLE presents international research on issues that influence social and private behavior and the economy. You can find here different labor economics topics, including supply and demand of labor economics, personnel economics, distribution of income, etc. 

Review of Economic Studies | 7.3

The start of the journal was in 1933 by British and American economists. The Review of Economic Studies Ltd does publication of journals to support research in theoretical and applied economics by young researchers. 

Small Business Economics | 7.3

Small Business Economics is the pool of knowledge relevant for all aspects of entrepreneurship and small business economics. The journal especially highlights the economic and societal relevance of research results for scholars and policymakers. 

Journal of Accounting and Economics | 7.1

The source applies economic theories to the explanation of accounting phenomena. The journal is a forum for the highest quality materials connecting economic theories to solving accounting issues. 

Review of Economics and Statistics | 7.1

The Review of Economics and Statistics is a journal covering applied, especially quantitative economics. It is the source of publishing for many important articles in empirical economics. Here, you can also find collections of papers and symposia. 

As you see above, though the journals are committed to the research in the same field, they cover different sub-areas of it, allowing you to read ones closer to your specialization or area of interest. 

With time, the journals' sequence based on their impact factors may change. However, they comprise the list of the best economic journals for many years. Therefore, you might save the list and refer to it as a collection of top sources for many years further. 


Published on Mar 02, 2021