JEL classification codes
Articles in economics journals are usually given classification codes according to a system originated by the Journal of Economic Literature. The JEL is published quarterly by the American Economic Association and contains survey articles and information on recently published books and dissertations. The AEA maintains EconLit, a searchable data base of citations for articles, books, reviews, dissertations, and working papers classified by JEL codes for the years from 1969. A recent addition to EconLit is indexing of economics-journal articles from 1886 to 1968 parallel to the print series Index of Economic Articles.
Structure
;There are 20 primary JEL categories::| JEL Codes | General Categories |
| :Category:economics|General Economics and Teaching | |
| History of Economic Thought, Methodology, and Heterodox Approaches | |
| :Category:Mathematical and quantitative methods |Mathematical and Quantitative Methods | |
| :Category:Microeconomics|Microeconomics | |
| :Category:Macroeconomics|Macroeconomics and :Category:Monetary economics|Monetary Economics | |
| :Category:International economics|International Economics | |
| :Category:Financial economics|Financial Economics | |
| :Category:Public economics|Public Economics | |
| Health, Education, and Welfare | |
| :Category:Labor and demographic economics|Labor and Demographic Economics | |
| :Category:Law and economics|Law and Economics | |
| :Category:Industrial organization|Industrial Organization | |
| Business Administration and Business Economics • :Category:Marketing|Marketing • :Category:Accounting|Accounting • :Category:Personnel economics|Personnel Economics | |
| :Category:Economic history|Economic History | |
| Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth | |
| :Category:Economic systems|Economic Systems | |
| Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics • Environmental and Ecological Economics | |
| :Category:Urban, rural, and regional economics|Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and :Category:Transport economics|Transportation Economics | |
| Miscellaneous Categories | |
| Other Special Topics |
;JEL Subcategories:
Each JEL primary category has secondary and tertiary subcategories, for example, under JEL: D – Microeconomics:
JEL code categories, including periodic updates, are referenced at . Links to definitions of categories are at with corresponding examples of article titles linked to publication information, such as abstracts.
Purpose
Articles in economics journals also list JEL codes, facilitating their use across search engines. Comprehensive uses of JEL classifications include:JEL categories
A. General Economics and Teaching
A1 General EconomicsA2 Economic Education and Teaching of Economics
A3 Collective Works
B. History of Economic Thought, Methodology, and Heterodox Approaches
B1 :Category:History of economic thought|History of Economic Thought through 1925B2 :Category:History of economic thought|History of Economic Thought since 1925
B3 :Category:History of economic thought|History of Economic Thought: Individuals
B4 Economic Methodology
B5 Current Heterodox Approaches
[[:Category:Mathematical and quantitative methods (economics)|C. Mathematical and Quantitative Methods]]
C1 :Category:Econometrics|Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: GeneralC2 :Category:Single-equation methods |Single Equation Models • Single Variables
C3 :Category:Simultaneous equation methods |Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models • Multiple Variables
C4 :Category:Econometrics|Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics
C5 :Category:Econometric models|Econometric Modeling
C6 :Category:Mathematical economics|Mathematical Methods • Programming Models • Mathematical and Simulation Modeling
C7 :Category:Game theory|Game Theory and Bargaining Theory
C8 :Category:Economic data|Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology • Computer Programs
C9 :Category:Design of experiments|Design of Experiments
D. Microeconomics">:Category:Microeconomics">D. Microeconomics
D1 Household Behavior and Family EconomicsD2 Production and Organizations
D3 Distribution
D4 Market Structure, Pricing, and Design
D5 General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium
D6 Welfare Economics
D7 Analysis of Collective Decision-Making
D8 Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty
D9 Intertemporal Choice
E. Macroeconomics">:Category:Macroeconomics">Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics">:Category:Monetary economics">Monetary Economics
E1 General Aggregative ModelsE2 Consumption, Saving, Production, Investment, Labor Markets, and Informal Economy
E3 Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles
E4 Money and Interest Rates
E5 Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit
E6 Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook
F. International Economics">:Category:International economics">F. International Economics
F1 TradeF2 International Factor Movements and International Business
F3 International Finance
F4 Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance
F5 International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy
F6 Economic Impacts of Globalization
G. Financial Economics">:Category:Financial economics">G. Financial Economics
G1 General Financial MarketsG2 Financial Institutions and Services
G3 Corporate Finance and Governance
H. Public Economics">:Category:Public economics">H. Public Economics
H1 Structure and Scope of GovernmentH2 Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
H3 Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents
H4 Publicly Provided Goods
H5 National Government Expenditures and Related Policies
H6 National Budget, Deficit, and Debt
H7 State and Local Government • Intergovernmental Relations
H8 Miscellaneous Issues
I. Health, Education, and Welfare
I1 HealthI2 Education and Research Institutions
I3 Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty
J. Labor and Demographic Economics">:Category:Labor and demographic economics">J. Labor and Demographic Economics
J1 Demographic EconomicsJ2 Demand and Supply of Labor
J3 Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs
J4 Particular Labor Markets
J5 Labor–Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining
J6 Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers
J7 Labor Discrimination
J8 Labor Standards: National and International
K. Law and Economics">:Category:Law and economics">K. Law and Economics
K1 Basic Areas of LawK2 Regulation and Business Law
K3 Other Substantive Areas of Law
K4 Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior
L. Industrial Organization">:Category:Industrial organization">L. Industrial Organization
L1 Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market PerformanceL2 Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior
L3 Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise
L4 Antitrust Issues and Policies
L5 Regulation and Industrial Policy
L6 Industry Studies: Manufacturing
L7 Industry Studies: Primary Products and Construction
L8 Industry Studies: Services
L9 Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities
M. Business Administration and Business Economics • Marketing">:Category:Marketing">Marketing • Accounting">:Category:Accounting">Accounting • Personnel Economics">:Category:Personnel economics">Personnel Economics
M1 Business AdministrationM2 Business Economics
M3 :Category:Marketing|Marketing and :Category:Advertising|Advertising
M4 :Category:Accounting|Accounting and :Category:Auditing|Auditing
M5 :Category:Personnel economics|Personnel Economics
N. Economic History">:Category:Economic history">N. Economic History
N1 Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics • Industrial Structure • Growth • FluctuationsN2 Financial Markets and Institutions
N3 Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy
N4 Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation
N5 Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment, and Extractive Industries
N6 Manufacturing and Construction
N7 Transport, Trade, Energy, Technology, and Other Services
N8 Micro-Business History
N9 Regional and Urban History
O. Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth
O1 Economic DevelopmentO2 Development Planning and Policy
O3 Innovation • Research and Development • Technological Change • Intellectual Property Rights
O4 Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity
O5 Economywide Country Studies
P. Economic Systems">:Category:Economic systems">P. Economic Systems
P1 Capitalist SystemsP2 Socialist Systems and Transitional Economies
P3 Socialist Institutions and Their Transitions
P4 Other Economic Systems
P5 Comparative Economic Systems
Q. Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics • Environmental">:Category:Environmental economics">Environmental and Ecological Economics">:Category:Ecological economics">Ecological Economics
Q1 AgricultureQ2 Renewable Resources and Conservation
Q3 Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation
Q4 Energy
Q5 Environmental Economics
R. Urban, Rural, Regional">:Category:Urban, rural, and regional economics">R. Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics">:Category:Transport economics">Transportation Economics
R1 General Regional EconomicsR2 Household Analysis
R3 Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location
R4 Transportation Economics
R5 Regional Government Analysis
Y. Miscellaneous Categories
Y1 Data: Tables and ChartsY2 Introductory Material
Y3 Book Reviews
Y4 Dissertations
Y5 Further Reading
Y6 Excerpts
Y7 No Author General Discussions
Y8 Related Disciplines
Y9 Other
Z. Other Special Topics
Z1 Cultural Economics • Economic Sociology • Economic AnthropologyZ2 Sports Economics
Z3 Tourism Economics