Current Editorial Board:

Pierre Azoulay, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Olivier Coibion, University of Texas, Austin

Will Dobbie (Co-Chair), Harvard University

Raymond Fisman (Co-Chair), Boston University

Benjamin R. Handel, University of California, Berkeley

Brian A. Jacob, University of Michigan

Kareen Rozen, Brown University

Xiaoxia Shi, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Tavneet Suri, MIT

Daniel Xu, Duke University

Recently Retired from the Editorial Board:

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

Shachar Kariv, University of California, Berkeley

Table 1—Manuscripts Submitted and Published, 2017–2021

This table shows the trends in papers submitted and published over the past five years. The journal has seen increased growth in paper submissions: 14% in 2018, 11% in 2019, and 25% in 2020. Submission numbers remained steady in 2021. 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, 2017–2021

This table shows the status of manuscripts submitted over the past five years. The papers summarily rejected remained steady, ranging from 54% to 62% of papers submitted. The percent of papers sent out for review but ultimately rejected has remained steady, ranging from 29% to 35% of papers. Acceptance rates range from 7% to 8% of papers submitted. Papers submitted in 2021 have not had enough time to accurately reflect the acceptance rate.

Table 3—Decision Time for Manuscripts Sent to Referees for Review

This table reports the decision time for manuscripts sent to referees for review over the past five years. In 2018, the average decision time for papers that were sent to referees was 95 days. The average decision time in 2021 improved to 86 days. In addition, the decision time at the right tail 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. This table also reflects the improvement in the journal's decision turnaround times. In 2021, 86% of manuscripts received a decision within three months and 99% within five months.

Table 5—Subject Matter of Published Manuscripts, 2021

This table shows the distribution of the subject matter of papers published in 2021. Published papers covered a variety of subjects, but the most common were microeconomics and macro- and monetary economics.

Table 1.

Manuscripts Submitted and Published, 2017–2021

YearSubmittedPublished
2017 1,049 68 
2018 1,200 70 
2019 1,330 66 
2020 1,666 65 
2021 1,674 65 
YearSubmittedPublished
2017 1,049 68 
2018 1,200 70 
2019 1,330 66 
2020 1,666 65 
2021 1,674 65 
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Table 2.

Status of Manuscripts by Year of Submission, 2017–2021

Submission YearAcceptedPendingRejectedSummary RejectRevise and ResubmitWithdrawnTotal
2017 89 0 304 647 0 9 1,049 
 8% 0% 29% 62% 0% 1%  
2018 89 0 373 715 4 19 1,200 
 7% 0% 31% 60% 0% 2%  
2019 98 2 410 808 9 5 1,332 
 7% 0% 31% 61% 1% 0%  
2020 126 25 575 899 37 2 1,664 
 8% 2% 35% 54% 2% 0%  
2021 21 63 467 1,009 104 10 1,674 
 1% 4% 28% 60% 6% 1%  
Submission YearAcceptedPendingRejectedSummary RejectRevise and ResubmitWithdrawnTotal
2017 89 0 304 647 0 9 1,049 
 8% 0% 29% 62% 0% 1%  
2018 89 0 373 715 4 19 1,200 
 7% 0% 31% 60% 0% 2%  
2019 98 2 410 808 9 5 1,332 
 7% 0% 31% 61% 1% 0%  
2020 126 25 575 899 37 2 1,664 
 8% 2% 35% 54% 2% 0%  
2021 21 63 467 1,009 104 10 1,674 
 1% 4% 28% 60% 6% 1%  

Percentages are rounded to the nearest integer. Pending manuscripts include submissions and revisions that were undergoing review as of February 22, 2022. 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

FractionAverageMedian75th90thNumber of Papers
YearSummarily RejectedDecision TimeDecision TimePercentilePercentileSent to Referees
2017 62% 92 85 111 144 393 
2018 60% 95 86 112 149 466 
2019 61% 82 77 97 118 517 
2020 68% 86 84 102 122 765 
2021 60% 86 84 100 118 657 
FractionAverageMedian75th90thNumber of Papers
YearSummarily RejectedDecision TimeDecision TimePercentilePercentileSent to Referees
2017 62% 92 85 111 144 393 
2018 60% 95 86 112 149 466 
2019 61% 82 77 97 118 517 
2020 68% 86 84 102 122 765 
2021 60% 86 84 100 118 657 

Decision times are for papers sent out for review. Percentages are rounded to the nearest integer. Data were input for 43 papers submitted in 2021 that did not have a decision yet.

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Table 4.

Distribution of First Decision Times by Submission Year

20172018201920202021
Months toMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulative
ResponsePercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercent
1 59 59 65 65 60 60 55 55 62 62 
2 6 65 7 72 11 71 7 62 4 66 
3 12 76 13 85 18 89 22 84 20 86 
4 16 92 8 93 8 97 12 96 11 97 
5 3 95 4 97 2 99 3 99 2 99 
6 1 96 2 99 <1 99 <1 99 <1 99 
7 2 98 1 99 <1 99 <1 99 <1 99 
8 2 100 <1 99 <1 99 <1 100 <1 100 
9 0 100 <1 99 <1 100 0 100 0 100 
10 0 100 <1 99 0 100 0 100 0 100 
11 0 100 <1 100 0 100 0 100 0 100 
12 0 100 0 100 0 100 0 100 0 100 
20172018201920202021
Months toMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulative
ResponsePercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercent
1 59 59 65 65 60 60 55 55 62 62 
2 6 65 7 72 11 71 7 62 4 66 
3 12 76 13 85 18 89 22 84 20 86 
4 16 92 8 93 8 97 12 96 11 97 
5 3 95 4 97 2 99 3 99 2 99 
6 1 96 2 99 <1 99 <1 99 <1 99 
7 2 98 1 99 <1 99 <1 99 <1 99 
8 2 100 <1 99 <1 99 <1 100 <1 100 
9 0 100 <1 99 <1 100 0 100 0 100 
10 0 100 <1 99 0 100 0 100 0 100 
11 0 100 <1 100 0 100 0 100 0 100 
12 0 100 0 100 0 100 0 100 0 100 

Percentages are rounded to the nearest integer. Data were input for 43 papers submitted in 2021 that did not have a decision yet.

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Table 5.

Subject Matter of Published Manuscripts, 2021

JELSubject CategoryNumber
A General Economics and Teaching 0 
B Methodology/History of Thought 0 
C Mathematical and Quantitative Methods 5 
D Microeconomics 15 
E Macro- and Monetary Economics 9 
F International Economics 8 
G Financial Economics 0 
H Public Economics 4 
I Health, Education, and Welfare 5 
J Labor and Demographic Economics 4 
K Law and Economics 3 
L Industrial Organization 1 
M Business Economics 0 
N Economic History 0 
O Economic Development 8 
P Economic Systems 1 
Q Agricultural/Natural Resources 1 
R Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics 1 
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 5 
D Microeconomics 15 
E Macro- and Monetary Economics 9 
F International Economics 8 
G Financial Economics 0 
H Public Economics 4 
I Health, Education, and Welfare 5 
J Labor and Demographic Economics 4 
K Law and Economics 3 
L Industrial Organization 1 
M Business Economics 0 
N Economic History 0 
O Economic Development 8 
P Economic Systems 1 
Q Agricultural/Natural Resources 1 
R Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics 1 
Z Misc. and Special Topics 0 

Derived from JEL codes reported for each manuscript for the 2021 publication year.

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© 2022 The President and Fellows of Harvard College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2022
The President and Fellows of Harvard College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology