| CEA | CBA | Feature |
| | | | Helps regulators determine whether or not to do a project | |
| | | | Typically involves discounting of future economic effects | |
| | | | Helps policy-makers choose among options or among alternative ways of achieving a goal. | |
| | | | Results are often given as multipliers that tell regulators how many jobs a policy will create. | |
| | | | Reveals the Pareto-optimal level of an externality | |
| | | | Takes uncertainty about the magnitude of effects into account | |
| | | Focuses on the effect of a policy change on low-income communities |
| | | Tries to get the biggest bang for the buck (achieves a goal at the least cost or greatest net benefit) |
| | | | May entail calculating the internal rate of return | |
