Econometrica 'Under Review': What Each Status Means
If your Econometrica submission shows Under Review, here is what the Econometric Society editor and co-editor are doing during each stage and when to follow up.
What to do next
Already submitted? Use this page to interpret the status and choose the next step.
The useful next step is understanding what the status usually means, how long the wait normally runs, and when a follow-up is actually reasonable.
Last reviewed: 2026-05-17.
Quick answer: If your Econometrica submission shows "Under Review," elapsed time is the most reliable signal. Econometrica has a 2024 JCR impact factor of 6.6, accepts roughly 5 to 8 percent of submissions, and Econometric Society reports that roughly 1/3 of submissions are desk rejected with desk rejects typically processed in less than 2 weeks (per Econometrica editorial procedures and policies). The editor will desk reject the paper or send it to a co-editor (who may be the editor), who will lead the review process. The co-editor desk rejects the paper or assigns it to referees. Many submissions are sent to one or more referees, including Associate Editors, but some may be rejected after editorial evaluation without external review. An offer to revise is typically valid for 12 months from the decision date.
For a second opinion before referees see your manuscript, run a Econometrica submission readiness check.
Submission portal and editorial contact: Econometrica uses the Econometric Society submission system at editorialexpress.com/cgi-bin/conference/download.cgi?db_name=Econometrica. Editorial questions should reference the manuscript number; the Econometrica editorial office handles inquiries through the manuscript record. The Econometrica editorial procedures and policies and Econometrica reviewer guidelines cover the editorial workflow. For broader status-tracking guidance across publishers, the Cell Press author status portal at cell.com/information-for-authors/after-you-submit gives useful baseline patterns for reading status fields across editorial portals. The BMC author services portal at biomedcentral.com/getpublished/peer-review-process is another cross-publisher reference baseline.
How Econometric Society handles an Econometrica submission
Econometrica operates the Econometric Society editor + co-editor + Associate Editor + referee model. After confirming author membership and checking the manuscript for compliance with submission requirements, the review process begins and a manuscript number is assigned. The editor will desk reject the paper or send it to a co-editor (who may be the editor), who will lead the review process. The handling co-editor reads the entire paper and evaluates economic theory or econometrics contribution, methodological rigor, and Econometrica subspecialty routing across econometric theory, microeconomic theory, applied microeconomics, macroeconomics, and applied econometrics. A co-editor at Econometrica typically handles 60 to 120 manuscripts per year and spends 30 to 90 minutes on the initial read; Econometrica co-editors are working academic economists fitting Econometrica editorial work around their own research.
Econometrica editorial culture is decisive: roughly 1/3 of submissions are desk rejected within less than 2 weeks. Papers that pass the Econometrica co-editor desk screen have cleared the steepest filter in top-tier economic theory and econometrics publishing.
Econometrica's review pipeline
Status | What is happening | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|
Submitted | Author membership check + submission requirements compliance | Day 0 to 3 |
With Editor | Editor evaluating initial fit; will desk reject or send to co-editor | Days 3 to 14 |
With Co-Editor | Co-editor leads review process; will desk reject or assign to referees | Days 14 to 28 |
Editorial Discussion | Internal Econometric Society editor consultation for ambiguous fit | Days 7 to 21 (parallel; invisible to author) |
Under Review | 2 to 3 referees (including Associate Editors) invited under single-blind review | Days 28 to 180 (3 to 6 month first decision) |
Required Reviews Complete | Co-editor synthesizing referee reports + AE input | 14 to 28 days |
Decision Pending | Co-editor finalizing recommendation | 7 to 14 days |
Decision Sent | Reject, R&R (12-month validity), or accept | Check email |
The editor + co-editor desk screen (about 1/3 rejected)
Before the paper reaches external referees, the Econometrica editor performs initial evaluation and either desk rejects or sends to a co-editor. The co-editor then either desk rejects the paper or assigns it to referees. Roughly 1/3 of submissions are desk rejected at this stage within less than 2 weeks. A desk rejection most often means the editor or co-editor concluded that the work has insufficient economic theory or econometrics contribution, methodological issues, or would fit better at a sister Econometric Society journal (Quantitative Economics, Theoretical Economics).
Day 0 to 3: Author membership check + submission requirements compliance
The Econometrica editorial office confirms author membership in the Econometric Society and checks the manuscript for compliance with submission requirements: manuscript with figures embedded, Supporting Information with replication data and code, Econometrica template formatting, cover letter directed to the editor, conflict-of-interest declarations, and replication-data deposition (Econometric Society Data and Code Archive deposition required for accepted papers).
Days 3 to 14: Editor desk screen
The editor reads the paper and either desk rejects or sends to a co-editor. The editor's desk-screen evaluates initial fit for Econometrica's economic theory and econometrics focus.
Days 14 to 28: Co-editor desk screen
The handling co-editor (who may be the editor) leads the review process. The co-editor reads the paper and evaluates economic theory or econometrics contribution, methodological rigor, and Econometrica subspecialty routing. The co-editor either desk rejects the paper or assigns it to referees.
Days 7 to 21: Internal Econometric Society editor consultation (parallel for ambiguous cases)
In parallel with the editor + co-editor desk screen, ambiguous-fit papers are discussed across the Econometric Society editorial team where peer co-editors weigh in on whether the paper would fit better at Econometrica flagship or at sister Econometric Society journals (Quantitative Economics for applied econometrics, Theoretical Economics for theoretical economics). This editorial consultation runs alongside the desk-screen and adds 3 to 7 days to the timeline that is invisible to the author in the portal.
Days 28 to 42: Referee recruitment (including Associate Editors)
Econometrica co-editors typically invite 2 to 3 referees (potentially including Associate Editors), with referee recruitment typically taking 14 to 28 days. The Associate Editor model means some reviews come from designated AEs with topic-matched expertise, supplementing external referees.
Days 28 to 180: Active peer review (3 to 6 month first decision)
Once 2 to 3 referees agree to review, the typical Econometrica peer-review cycle lasts 8 to 16 weeks per referee. Referees are asked to evaluate economic theory or econometrics contribution, methodological rigor (proofs, identification, structural-model assumptions), and contribution clarity. Referee reports for Econometrica tend to be thorough; 3000 to 6000 word reports are typical given the top-tier economic theory and econometrics focus.
Day 180 onward: Editorial synthesis and decision
After reports return, the co-editor synthesizes them with AE input. An offer to revise is typically valid for 12 months from the decision date. Extensions may be granted at the discretion of the handling Co-Editor but must be requested within that 12-month period. Total submission-to-acceptance commonly runs 12 to 24 months for Econometrica given economics-discipline norms.
When to worry
- Rejection within 1 to 14 days: Editor desk rejection per the ~1/3 figure within 2 weeks.
- Rejection within 14 to 28 days: Co-editor desk rejection after editor routing.
- Still Under Review after 4 weeks: Strong signal. Paper passed both editor + co-editor desk screens.
- Still Under Review after 16 weeks: Referee-recruitment or referee-report delay. A polite inquiry is appropriate.
- Status changes to "Decision Pending": Reports are in; expect a decision within 2 to 3 weeks after co-editor synthesis with AE input.
"My paper has been Under Review for 8 weeks. Is that bad?"
This is the most common anxiety we hear from Econometrica authors during the active editorial window. The honest answer: no, 8 weeks at Under Review puts you in the early-to-middle portion of Econometrica's 3 to 6 month first-decision distribution. Reports may still be arriving with the co-editor preparing for editorial synthesis. Most referee-driven delays come from the economics-discipline norm of longer referee reports (3000 to 6000 words for Econometrica) rather than slow editorial response. If the portal still says Under Review at the 16-week mark, the most likely explanation is that one of the assigned referees asked for an extension and the co-editor granted it. This is normal practice at Econometrica.
What you should NOT do during the 8-to-16-week window is email the editorial office. Econometrica co-editors are working academic economists managing 60+ active papers per year around their own research; an inquiry at 8 weeks adds friction without accelerating the timeline.
Readiness check
While you wait, scan your next manuscript.
The scan takes about 1-2 minutes. Use the result to decide whether to revise before the decision comes back.
What to do while waiting
- Do not email the editorial office during the first 8 weeks unless an urgent ethics issue surfaces.
- Do not submit the paper anywhere else while it is Under Review at Econometrica. Econometric Society has explicit prohibitions on dual submission.
- Prepare a comprehensive point-by-point response template for likely referee concerns: economic theory or econometrics contribution, methodological rigor (proofs, identification, structural-model assumptions), replication-data adequacy.
- If you have related work submitted elsewhere or recently published, prepare disclosure language for when revisions are requested.
- Read recent Econometrica papers in your subfield to calibrate the current editorial bar.
If Econometrica rejects: sister-journal cascade with reasoning
If your Econometrica paper is rejected after review, the natural cascade depends on what the referees and co-editor cited:
Quantitative Economics is the natural Econometric Society cascade for applied econometrics papers.
Theoretical Economics is the Econometric Society cascade for theoretical economics papers.
American Economic Review is the external AEA top-tier general economics cascade. AER uses ScholarOne at mc.manuscriptcentral.com/aer; editorial contact aer@aeaweb.org.
Review of Economic Studies (RES) is the external European top-tier general economics cascade.
Journal of Political Economy (JPE) is the external University of Chicago top-tier general economics cascade.
Journal of Econometrics is the external Elsevier econometrics specialty cascade. Journal of Econometrics uses Editorial Manager at editorialmanager.com/jecon; editorial contact jecon@elsevier.com.
Quarterly Journal of Economics (QJE) is the external Oxford top-tier general economics cascade.
How Econometrica compares to nearby alternatives
Feature | Econometrica | Quantitative Economics | Theoretical Economics | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Desk-rejection rate | ~33 percent (1/3) | ~45 percent | 30 to 40 percent | 40 to 50 percent |
Desk-decision speed | <2 weeks | 2 to 4 weeks | 2 to 4 weeks | 2 to 4 weeks |
Total review time (post-screen) | 3 to 6 month first decision | 3 to 6 month first decision | 3 to 6 months | 3 to 6 months |
Reviewer count | 2 to 3 (can include AEs) | 2 to 3 (single-blind) | 2 to 3 | 2 to 3 |
Peer-review model | Editor + co-editor + AE + referees, single-blind | Coeditor + second-coeditor consultation, single-blind | Econometric Society single-blind | Econometric Society single-blind |
Editorial bar | Top economic theory + econometrics | Top general economics + breadth + AER audience | Applied econometrics | Theoretical economics |
Submit if your paper passed the desk
If your Econometrica paper is Under Review past 4 weeks, you have cleared the editor + co-editor desk screens. Use the waiting window to prepare a comprehensive revision response template (multiple R&R rounds are typical in economics; 12-month R&R validity gives you time).
Econometrica submission readiness check takes about 5 minutes.
Think twice before assuming "Under Review" means certain acceptance
Econometrica co-editors retain discretion to reject after partial review if referee reports surface methodological or economic theory contribution concerns the desk screen did not catch. The 5 to 8 percent overall acceptance rate means most post-desk-screen papers still receive a reject or R&R decision.
For a pre-upload diagnostic of economic theory or econometrics contribution framing and methodological rigor (proofs, identification, structural-model assumptions), run a Econometrica pre-submission diagnostic before referee reports surface those concerns.
Last verified: Econometrica editorial procedures and policies at econometricsociety.org/publications/econometrica/editorial-procedures-and-policies and Econometric Society reviewer guidelines.
The Econometrica referee experience
Econometric Society asks referees at Econometrica to evaluate four things specifically. The table below maps each to actionable preparation.
Reviewer focus area | What Econometrica asks referees to evaluate | How to prepare for it |
|---|---|---|
Economic theory or econometrics contribution | Does the work advance economic theory or econometrics understanding beyond incremental contribution? | Frame the introduction around the theoretical or econometric contribution. The ~33 percent desk rejection rate selects for papers with clear theoretical or econometric contribution. |
Methodological rigor (proofs, identification, structural) | Are the proofs, identification strategy, or structural-model assumptions appropriate, properly justified, and rigorously implemented? | Include detailed proofs in appendices. Identification strategy or structural-model assumptions are the primary methodological criteria. |
Associate Editor (AE) input | Many submissions are sent to one or more referees, including Associate Editors | The AE model means some reviews come from designated AEs; framing should anticipate AE-specific expertise. |
Replication-data adequacy | Are replication data and code adequately deposited (Econometric Society Data and Code Archive required for accepted papers)? | Deposit replication data and code. Econometric Society's Data and Code Archive requirement is strictly enforced for accepted papers. |
Common patterns we see that miss the Econometrica bar
In our pre-submission work with Econometrica-targeted manuscripts, three named patterns generate the most consistent referee concerns and the most common reasons papers miss the editorial bar or fail the desk screen.
Insufficient theoretical or econometric contribution flagged at editor + co-editor desk screen. When the work lacks clear theoretical or econometric contribution (applied work without theory innovation, or theory without methodological innovation), Econometrica editor or co-editor desk rejection within 2 weeks is common. The strongest manuscripts frame the theoretical or econometric contribution clearly.
Proof or identification gaps surface as AE concerns. When proofs are incomplete or identification strategy is not rigorously justified, AEs consistently flag concerns. The strongest revisions include detailed proofs and explicit identification arguments.
Econometric Society cascade offers from co-editor. When the co-editor concludes the work is rigorous but the Econometrica top-tier bar is not met, transfer offers to Quantitative Economics (applied econometrics) or Theoretical Economics (theoretical economics) are common. Econometric Society editors take these transfers seriously.
Methodology note
This page was created from Econometric Society's public Econometrica editorial procedures and policies at econometricsociety.org/publications/econometrica/editorial-procedures-and-policies, Econometric Society reviewer guidelines (~33 percent desk rejection rate, less than 2 weeks for desk reject processing, editor + co-editor model with referee + Associate Editor input, single-blind review, 12-month R&R validity, Econometric Society Data and Code Archive deposition required for accepted papers), and Manusights pre-submission review experience with Econometrica-targeted manuscripts.
What to read next
For the Econometric Society economics landscape beyond Econometrica, see Quantitative Economics (applied econometrics) and Theoretical Economics (theoretical economics), and external top-tier economics alternatives (American Economic Review, Quarterly Journal of Economics, Journal of Political Economy, Review of Economic Studies, Journal of Econometrics). The choice across these titles depends on whether the central contribution is top economic theory and econometrics (Econometrica), applied econometrics (Quantitative Economics), theoretical economics (Theoretical Economics), top general economics (AER, QJE, JPE), top European general economics (RES), or econometrics specialty (Journal of Econometrics).
Referees at Econometrica typically draw from 2 to 3 economics subfield experts (potentially including Associate Editors) under the Econometric Society single-blind model. Editors screen and triage manuscripts before any referee sees them via editor + co-editor sequential desk screens, and preparing a comprehensive revision response template that addresses both theoretical/econometric contribution and methodological rigor accelerates revision rounds substantially.
For a pre-upload check of your manuscript against the Econometrica top-tier-theory-or-econometrics bar before submission, our Econometrica pre-submission diagnostic flags the contribution and methodological weaknesses most likely to surface in the editor + co-editor + AE evaluation.
Frequently asked questions
Your manuscript has cleared Econometrica submission system admin checks and is being evaluated. After confirming author membership and checking the manuscript for compliance with submission requirements, the review process begins and a manuscript number (MS#) is assigned. Many submissions are sent to one or more referees, including Associate Editors, but some may be rejected after editorial evaluation without external review. The editor will desk reject the paper or send it to a co-editor (who may be the editor), who will lead the review process.
At Econometrica roughly 1/3 of the submissions are desk rejected, and desk rejects typically are processed in less than 2 weeks. For papers that proceed to full review, first decisions typically arrive in 3 to 6 months. An offer to revise is typically valid for 12 months from the decision date; extensions may be granted at the discretion of the handling Co-Editor but must be requested within that 12-month period.
Wait at least 8 weeks before inquiring. Contact via the Econometric Society submission portal at editorialexpress.com/cgi-bin/conference/download.cgi?db_name=Econometrica referencing your manuscript number; the Econometrica editorial office handles inquiries. For broader status-tracking baseline, see the Cell Press author status portal.
No. Econometrica's 3 to 6 month first-decision window means 8 weeks puts you in the early-to-middle portion of the active review distribution. Reports may still be arriving.
Your paper passed the editor and (potentially) co-editor desk screen, was assigned to a handling co-editor, and 2 to 3 referees (potentially including Associate Editors) have been invited under single-blind review.
Yes. The 3 to 6 month first-decision window means most accepted papers take more than 90 days for the first round. Multiple revision rounds are common; total submission-to-acceptance commonly runs 12 to 24 months given economics-discipline norms.
Past 16 weeks is the right moment for a polite inquiry. Past 24 weeks suggests a referee dropped out and the co-editor needs a replacement. Silence in the first 8 weeks is normal at Econometrica.
Sources
Best next step
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Conversion step
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