Quantitative Economics and Statistics (QUEST)

The Quantitative Economics and Statistics (QUEST) team provides rigorous research, economic consulting, statistical consulting and survey design services to help clients make key data-driven decisions across a broad range of issues.

Related topics

What EY can do for you

Our interdisciplinary QUEST team, based primarily in Washington, DC, brings together nearly 60 economists, statisticians and business analysts, many with deep industry and government experience and advanced degrees. We provide data-driven results and insights for technical and nontechnical audiences. Our customized analyses use recognized research approaches supported by proprietary tools that reflect client-specific facts and circumstances.

Our suite of quantitative analytics services includes:

  • Federal, state and local tax and economic policy analysis
  • Government revenue and expenditure forecasting
  • Public financial management
  • International development
  • Program evaluation
  • Economic, fiscal and social impact studies
  • Business location analytics and workforce analysis
  • Survey design and analytics
  • Statistical sampling and data analytics

Our professionals combine the latest economic research, data and quantitative methods to analyze the impacts of policy, regulatory and economic changes at the national, state, local and global levels. We use the data we gather to build economic models identifying possible outcomes. Our economic analysis and policy offerings include:

  • Federal, state, local and global tax and spending policy analyses that draw on our deep government experience
  • Economic and social impact and/or contribution analyses that draw on our deep understanding of regional economics to quantify the total value chain of a project, company or industry
  • International development economic and fiscal analyses that draw on deep experience advising government and donor organizations on a broad range of issues
  • Regional competitiveness and business-climate analyses that evaluate tax, labor costs, cost of capital and other business considerations
  • Macroeconomic modeling and forecasting to capture the impact of policy changes on businesses, industries and markets, as well as broader economic impacts
  • Climate and social impact modeling to support ESG-related communications and strategy

QUEST statisticians help implement statistically valid and scientifically defensible approaches to support business positions so that clients need to spend only a fraction of the effort required to fully review a set of business records.

QUEST survey professionals help organizations better understand their network, employees, members and clients through customized web-based survey instruments and reporting platforms. Our survey services, based on rigorous survey design and analytics include:

  • Questionnaire design and review
  • Web programming
  • Data collection
  • Targeted follow-up
  • Editing and imputation
  • Statistic weighting
  • Data visualization and dashboards
  • Statistical modeling
  • Report generation

The team


Our latest thinking

Episode 13:  Demystifying the Revenue Estimating Process

In DC Dynamics episode 13: Demystifying the Revenue Estimating Process, host Ray Beeman, WCEY's managing partner, is joined by EY colleague Robert Carroll.

21 Feb 2023 12m 27s

EY QUEST Economic Update examines latest economic trends

The QUEST Economic Update summarizes the latest key economic and employment trends.

18 Aug 2023 Robert Carroll

Total state and local business taxes for FY21

This state-by-state examination illustrates the total state and local taxes businesses paid in FY21 as outlined in the 20th annual report.

08 Dec 2022 Andrew Phillips
    Contact the QUEST Team
    Learn more about how quantitative analysis can help your organization chart its future.