This article explores who earned doctoral degrees in economics from U.S. institutions between 2021 and 2023 and how structural factors shape access, persistence, and professional outcomes. Using data from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, insights from a roundtable convened by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, and my own experience in the field, I examine demographic patterns and the conditions under which doctoral training in economics becomes a viable or exclusionary pathway to professional mobility. Particular attention is paid to the underrepresentation of U.S.-born students, especially those from certain racial or ethnic backgrounds, in economics doctoral programs. I evaluate programs and interventions, including pipeline programs and mentorship models, whose objective is to expand access to advanced research careers in economics. By tracing the relationship between educational opportunity and the demands of the labor market, this study contributes to broader discussions of workforce development and the political economy of higher education.