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

Peter Hull, Brown University

Brian A. Jacob, University of Michigan

Scott Kominers, Harvard University

Tavneet Suri, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Daniel Xu, Duke University

Recently Retired from the Editorial Board:

Kareen Rozen, Brown University

Xiaoxia Shi, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Table 1—Manuscripts Submitted and Published, 2018–2022

This table shows the trends in papers submitted and published over the past five years. The journal saw increased growth in submissions of papers from 2018 to 2020. Submission numbers remained steady from 2020 to 2021, then declined by 10% in 2022. The number of published papers increased by 25 due to the publication of three larger issues (July, September, and November 2022).

Table 2—Status of Manuscripts by Year of Submission, 2018–2022

This table shows the status of manuscripts submitted over the past five years. The number of papers summarily rejected remains steady, ranging from 54% to 61% of papers submitted. The percent of papers sent out for review but ultimately rejected has remained steady, ranging from 31% to 35% of papers. Acceptance rates range from 7% to 10% of papers submitted. Papers submitted in 2022 have not had enough time to reflect the final 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. The average decision time remained steady, ranging from 82 to 95 days.

Table 4—Distribution of First Decision Times by Submission Year

This table shows the distribution of decision times for all first-round paper submissions in monthly increments for the past five years. The table also reflects the improvement in the journal's decision turnaround times. In 2022, 80% of manuscripts received a decision within three months and 99% within six months.

Table 5—Subject Matter of Published Manuscripts, 2022

This table shows the distribution of the subject matter of papers published in 2022. Published papers covered a variety of subjects, but the most common published topics were microeconomics and macro and monetary economics.

Table 1.

Manuscripts Submitted and Published

YearSubmittedPublished
2018 1,200 70 
2019 1,330 66 
2020 1,666 65 
2021 1,674 65 
2022 1,480 90 
YearSubmittedPublished
2018 1,200 70 
2019 1,330 66 
2020 1,666 65 
2021 1,674 65 
2022 1,480 90 
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Table 2.

Status of Manuscripts by Year of Submission

Submission YearAcceptedPendingRejectedSummary RejectRevise and ResubmitWithdrawnTotal
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%  
2022 25 16 524 839 66 10 1,480 
 2% 1% 35% 57% 4% 1%  
Submission YearAcceptedPendingRejectedSummary RejectRevise and ResubmitWithdrawnTotal
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%  
2022 25 16 524 839 66 10 1,480 
 2% 1% 35% 57% 4% 1%  

Percentages are rounded to the nearest integer. Pending manuscripts include submissions and revisions that were undergoing review as of June 5, 2023, and Revise and Resubmit manuscripts 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

FractionAverageMedian75%90thNumber of Papers
YearSummarily RejectedDecision TimeDecision TimePercentilePercentileSent to Referees
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 
2022 57% 95 91 109 137 649 
FractionAverageMedian75%90thNumber of Papers
YearSummarily RejectedDecision TimeDecision TimePercentilePercentileSent to Referees
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 
2022 57% 95 91 109 137 649 

Decision times are for papers sent out for review. Percentages are rounded to the nearest integer. Data for one paper submitted in 2022 that did not have a decision when this report was compiled have been included.

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Table 4.

Distribution of First Decision Times by Submission Year

20182019202020212022
Months toMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulative
ResponsePercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercent
1 65 65 60 60 55 55 62 62 58 58 
2 7 72 11 71 7 62 4 66 4 62 
3 13 85 18 89 22 84 20 86 18 80 
4 8 93 8 97 12 96 11 97 14 94 
5 4 97 2 99 3 99 2 99 4 98 
6 2 99 <1 99 <1 99 <1 99 1 99 
7 1 99 <1 99 <1 99 <1 99 <1 99 
8 <1 99 <1 99 <1 100 <1 100 <1 100 
9 <1 99 <1 100 0 100 0 100 0 100 
10 <1 99 0 100 0 100 0 100 0 100 
11 <1 100 0 100 0 100 0 100 0 100 
12 0 100 0 100 0 100 0 100 0 100 
20182019202020212022
Months toMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulativeMonthlyCumulative
ResponsePercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercent
1 65 65 60 60 55 55 62 62 58 58 
2 7 72 11 71 7 62 4 66 4 62 
3 13 85 18 89 22 84 20 86 18 80 
4 8 93 8 97 12 96 11 97 14 94 
5 4 97 2 99 3 99 2 99 4 98 
6 2 99 <1 99 <1 99 <1 99 1 99 
7 1 99 <1 99 <1 99 <1 99 <1 99 
8 <1 99 <1 99 <1 100 <1 100 <1 100 
9 <1 99 <1 100 0 100 0 100 0 100 
10 <1 99 0 100 0 100 0 100 0 100 
11 <1 100 0 100 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 for one paper submitted in 2022 that did not have a decision when this report was compiled have been included.

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Table 5.

Subject Matter of Published Manuscripts, 2022

JELSubject CategoryNumber
A General Economics and Teaching 0 
B Methodology/History of Thought 0 
C Mathematical and Quantitative Methods 9 
D Microeconomics 18 
E Macro and Monetary Economics 12 
F International Economics 6 
G Financial Economics 1 
H Public Economics 4 
I Health, Education, and Welfare 9 
J Labor and Demographic Economics 7 
K Law and Economics 5 
L Industrial Organization 4 
M Business Economics 0 
N Economic History 0 
O Economic Development 8 
P Economic Systems 0 
Q Agricultural/Natural Resources 4 
R Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics 1 
Z Misc. and Special Topics 1 
JELSubject CategoryNumber
A General Economics and Teaching 0 
B Methodology/History of Thought 0 
C Mathematical and Quantitative Methods 9 
D Microeconomics 18 
E Macro and Monetary Economics 12 
F International Economics 6 
G Financial Economics 1 
H Public Economics 4 
I Health, Education, and Welfare 9 
J Labor and Demographic Economics 7 
K Law and Economics 5 
L Industrial Organization 4 
M Business Economics 0 
N Economic History 0 
O Economic Development 8 
P Economic Systems 0 
Q Agricultural/Natural Resources 4 
R Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics 1 
Z Misc. and Special Topics 1 

Derived from JEL codes reported for each manuscript for the 2022 publication year.

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© 2023 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2023
The President and Fellows of Harvard College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology