Current Editorial Board:

Olivier Coibion, University of Texas, Austin

Raymond Fisman (Co-Chair), Boston University

Benjamin R. Handel, University of California, Berkeley

Rema N. Hanna (Co-Chair), Harvard University

Brian A. Jacob, University of Michigan

Shachar Kariv, University of California, Berkeley

Xiaoxia Shi, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Yi (Daniel) Xu, Duke University

Recently Retired from the Editorial Board:

Amit K. Khandelwal (Co-Chair), Columbia University

Table 1—Manuscripts Submitted and Published:

This table shows the trends in papers submitted and published over the past five years. The journal has seen increased growth in paper submissions: 7% in 2017, 14% in 2018, 11% in 2019, and 25% in 2020. The number of published papers has remained steady, ranging from 65 to 70 papers per year.

Table 2—Status of Manuscripts by Year of Submission:

This table shows the status of manuscripts submitted over the past five years. The papers summarily rejected remained steady, ranging from 54% to 64% of papers submitted. The percent of papers sent out for review but ultimately rejected has remained steady, ranging from 29% to 32% of papers. Acceptance rates range from 5% to 8% of papers submitted. Papers submitted in 2020 have not had enough time to accurately reflect the acceptance rate.

Table 3—Decision Time in Days for Manuscripts Sent to Referees for Review:

This table reports the decision time in days for manuscripts sent out to referees for review over the past five years. The journal has greatly improved turnaround times. In 2016, the average decision time for papers sent to referees was 129 days. The average decision time in 2020 improved to 86 days. In addition, the decision time at the right tail also improved substantially.

Table 4—Distribution of First Decision Times, by Submission Year:

This table includes all first-round paper submissions and shows the distribution of decision times in monthly increments for the past five years. The table also reflects the improvement in the journal's decision turnaround times. In 2020, 84% of manuscripts received a decision within three months and 99% within five months.

Table 5—Subject Matter of Published Manuscripts, 2020:

This table shows the distribution of subject matter of papers published in 2020. These papers covered a variety of subjects, but the most common published subjects were macro and monetary economics and labor and demographic economics.

Table 1.

Manuscripts Submitted and Published, 2016–2020

YearSubmittedPublished
2016 982 67 
2017 1,049 68 
2018 1,200 70 
2019 1,330 66 
2020 1,666 65 
YearSubmittedPublished
2016 982 67 
2017 1,049 68 
2018 1,200 70 
2019 1,330 66 
2020 1,666 65 
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Table 2.

Status of Manuscripts by Year of Submission, 2016–2020

Submission YearAcceptedPendingRejectedSummary RejectRevise and ResubmitWithdrawnTotal
2016 47 0 281 632 7 15 982 
 5% 0% 29% 64% 1% 2%  
2017 89 0 304 647 0 9 1,049 
 8% 0% 29% 62% 0% 1%  
2018 81 1 375 715 9 19 1,200 
 7% 0% 31% 60% 1% 2%  
2019 69 11 407 808 30 5 1,330 
 5% 1% 31% 61% 2% 0%  
2020 34 73 534 899 124 2 1,666 
 2% 4% 32% 54% 7% 0%  
Submission YearAcceptedPendingRejectedSummary RejectRevise and ResubmitWithdrawnTotal
2016 47 0 281 632 7 15 982 
 5% 0% 29% 64% 1% 2%  
2017 89 0 304 647 0 9 1,049 
 8% 0% 29% 62% 0% 1%  
2018 81 1 375 715 9 19 1,200 
 7% 0% 31% 60% 1% 2%  
2019 69 11 407 808 30 5 1,330 
 5% 1% 31% 61% 2% 0%  
2020 34 73 534 899 124 2 1,666 
 2% 4% 32% 54% 7% 0%  

Percentages are rounded to the nearest integer. Pending manuscripts include submissions and revisions that were undergoing review as of February 23, 2021, while Revise and Resubmit manuscripts are those that have been returned and are in the hands of the authors on that date. Summary rejections are manuscripts rejected without referee review.

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Table 3.

Decision Time in Days for Manuscripts Sent to Referees for Review

YearFraction Summarily RejectedAverage Decision TimeMedian Decision Time75th Percentile90th PercentileNumber of Papers Sent to Referees
2016 64% 129 108 174 228 335 
2017 62% 92 85 111 144 393 
2018 60% 95 86 112 149 466 
2019 61% 82 77 97 118 517 
2020 54% 86 84 102 122 765 
YearFraction Summarily RejectedAverage Decision TimeMedian Decision Time75th Percentile90th PercentileNumber of Papers Sent to Referees
2016 64% 129 108 174 228 335 
2017 62% 92 85 111 144 393 
2018 60% 95 86 112 149 466 
2019 61% 82 77 97 118 517 
2020 54% 86 84 102 122 765 

Decision times are for papers sent out for review. Percentages are rounded to the nearest integer. Data were inputed for 46 papers submitted in 2020 which did not have a decision yet.

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Table 4.

Distribution of First Decision Times, by Submission Year

20162017201820192020
Months toMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulative
ResponsePercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercent
1 58 58 59 59 65 65 60 60 55 55 
2 13 71 6 65 7 72 11 71 7 62 
3 10 81 12 76 13 85 18 89 22 84 
4 5 86 16 92 8 93 8 97 12 96 
5 3 89 3 95 4 97 2 99 3 99 
6 4 93 1 96 2 99 <1 99 <1 99 
7 2 95 2 98 1 99 <1 99 <1 99 
8 3 98 2 100 <1 99 <1 99 <1 100 
9 <1 99 0 100 <1 99 <1 100 0 100 
10 <1 99 0 100 <1 99 0 100 0 100 
11 <1 100 0 100 <1 100 0 100 0 100 
12 0 100 0 100 0 100 0 100 0 100 
20162017201820192020
Months toMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulative
ResponsePercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercent
1 58 58 59 59 65 65 60 60 55 55 
2 13 71 6 65 7 72 11 71 7 62 
3 10 81 12 76 13 85 18 89 22 84 
4 5 86 16 92 8 93 8 97 12 96 
5 3 89 3 95 4 97 2 99 3 99 
6 4 93 1 96 2 99 <1 99 <1 99 
7 2 95 2 98 1 99 <1 99 <1 99 
8 3 98 2 100 <1 99 <1 99 <1 100 
9 <1 99 0 100 <1 99 <1 100 0 100 
10 <1 99 0 100 <1 99 0 100 0 100 
11 <1 100 0 100 <1 100 0 100 0 100 
12 0 100 0 100 0 100 0 100 0 100 

Percentages are rounded to the nearest integer. Data were inputed for 46 papers submitted in 2020 which did not have a decision yet.

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Table 5.

Subject Matter of Published Manuscripts, 2020

JELSubject CategoryNumber
A General Economics and Teaching 0 
B Methodology/History of Thought 0 
C Mathematical and Quantitative Methods 8 
D Microeconomics 8 
E Macro and Monetary Economics 11 
F International Economics 2 
G Financial Economics 0 
H Public Economics 5 
I Health, Education, and Welfare 5 
J Labor and Demographic Economics 11 
K Law and Economics 0 
L Industrial Organization 0 
M Business Economics 1 
N Economic History 1 
O Economic Development 10 
P Economic Systems 0 
Q Agricultural/Natural Resources 0 
R Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics 3 
Z Misc. and Special Topics 0 
JELSubject CategoryNumber
A General Economics and Teaching 0 
B Methodology/History of Thought 0 
C Mathematical and Quantitative Methods 8 
D Microeconomics 8 
E Macro and Monetary Economics 11 
F International Economics 2 
G Financial Economics 0 
H Public Economics 5 
I Health, Education, and Welfare 5 
J Labor and Demographic Economics 11 
K Law and Economics 0 
L Industrial Organization 0 
M Business Economics 1 
N Economic History 1 
O Economic Development 10 
P Economic Systems 0 
Q Agricultural/Natural Resources 0 
R Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics 3 
Z Misc. and Special Topics 0 

Derived from JEL codes reported for each manuscript for the 2020 publication year.

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© 2021 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2021
The President and Fellows of Harvard College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology