<p>This article examines who earned doctoral degrees in economics from U.S. institutions between 2021 and 2024 and analyzes the structural and individual factors associated with entry, persistence, and early career outcomes. A substantial literature documents patterns in economics PhD completion, advising and mentorship, program stratification, and placement, including disparities by gender and other demographic characteristics. Building on this work, we provide an updated descriptive portrait of recent economics doctorate recipients and link these patterns to institutional conditions and career structures that influence whether doctoral training functions as an accessible pathway or one navigable primarily by students with prior advantages. Using newly released data from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, insights from an expert roundtable, author experience, and a targeted review of research on quantitative preparation, mentoring networks, advising quality, and departmental climate, we document demographic patterns by citizenship, race and ethnicity, and sex, with particular attention to the underrepresentation of U.S.-born students from historically underrepresented backgrounds. We also summarize sectoral career pathways and wage distributions for PhD economists and examine how research assistantships, predoctoral fellowships, and related apprenticeships function as gateways that can either broaden access or reinforce existing inequalities. Finally, we assess pipeline programs and mentorship models in economics and adjacent quantitative fields, highlighting design features that support preparation, persistence, and early career progression.</p>