Stocks and Flows of Academic Economists

University administrators want to determine the supply situation of women economists and the hiring pool characteristics in order to estimate their chances of effecting affirmative action. In 1976-1977, the proportion of women awarded Ph.D.s in economics declined below 9%, and the women receiving Ph.D.s are distributed among the institutions offering Ph.D.s in the same proportions as are men. Women differ from men in the major specialty area they select; female-intensive fields are labor and consumer economics. These differences may disadvantage some women economists in hiring decisions. Labor turnover offers opportunities for affirmative action. Entry opportunities at the assistant professor level are still narrow for women, and the revolving door syndrome is working for many women economists at that level. Any efforts on behalf of women at filter points have been so slight that the sex composition of faculties has varied very little.