Washington-Arlington-Alexandria salaries
The median worker in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area earned $68,430 a year in 2024, about $32.90 an hour. That ranks #3 of the 391 metro areas published here, 38.2% above the national median.
What this labour market looks like
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays 22.2% less than District of Columbia as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.
Unusually concentrated here
| Occupation | Concentration | Employed | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19-3094 | 32.53× | 3,910 | $153,340 |
| Economists | 13.38× | 4,300 | $157,980 |
| Artists and Related Workers, All Other | 10.36× | 1,540 | $122,320 |
| Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other | 10.14× | 6,330 | $162,610 |
| Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other | 9.42× | 7,050 | $137,610 |
| Public Relations Managers | 7.24× | 11,140 | $185,760 |
| Legal Support Workers, All Other | 6.94× | 6,650 | $161,780 |
| Concierges | 6.19× | 5,530 | $36,770 |
| Stonemasons | 5.99× | 1,060 | $47,890 |
| Physical Scientists, All Other | 5.97× | 2,720 | $162,610 |
| Statisticians | 5.78× | 3,490 | $133,240 |
| Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters | 5.25× | 600 | $104,210 |
Best paid occupations
| Occupation | Median | Hourly | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse Anesthetists | $225,340 | $108.34 | 390 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $224,330 | $107.85 | 1,900 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $223,030 | $107.22 | 1,740 |
| Psychiatrists | $219,970 | $105.76 | 570 |
| 29-1241 | $218,490 | $105.04 | 230 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $191,880 | $92.25 | 20,770 |
| Lawyers | $191,880 | $92.25 | 48,170 |
| Physicians, All Other | $191,880 | $92.25 | 11,170 |
| Nuclear Engineers | $189,770 | $91.24 | 300 |
| Database Architects | $188,120 | $90.44 | 6,710 |
| Pediatricians, General | $186,990 | $89.90 | 840 |
| Public Relations Managers | $185,760 | $89.31 | 11,140 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $180,360 | $86.71 | 5,520 |
| Financial Managers | $177,690 | $85.43 | 25,520 |
| Dentists, General | $176,800 | $85.00 | 3,110 |
| Marketing Managers | $176,240 | $84.73 | 9,480 |
| Air Traffic Controllers | $176,110 | $84.67 | 1,690 |
| Human Resources Managers | $172,970 | $83.16 | 6,570 |
| Compensation and Benefits Managers | $171,300 | $82.36 | 490 |
| Sales Managers | $168,770 | $81.14 | 7,360 |
| Physicists | $168,280 | $80.90 | 1,940 |
| Purchasing Managers | $167,270 | $80.42 | 4,320 |
| Managers, All Other | $167,270 | $80.42 | 42,870 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $164,650 | $79.16 | 6,250 |
| Computer Network Architects | $163,570 | $78.64 | 8,910 |
| Optometrists | $163,320 | $78.52 | 720 |
| Engineers, All Other | $162,610 | $78.18 | 7,950 |
| Physical Scientists, All Other | $162,610 | $78.18 | 2,720 |
| Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other | $162,610 | $78.18 | 6,330 |
| Legal Support Workers, All Other | $161,780 | $77.78 | 6,650 |
| 15-2021 | $160,510 | $77.17 | 220 |
| 17-2121 | $160,100 | $76.97 | 640 |
| Aerospace Engineers | $157,980 | $75.95 | 2,750 |
| 19-2011 | $157,980 | $75.95 | 440 |
| Economists | $157,980 | $75.95 | 4,300 |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | $156,360 | $75.17 | 3,150 |
| Economics Teachers, Postsecondary | $155,870 | n/a | 320 |
| Emergency Management Directors | $153,910 | $73.99 | 300 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | $153,340 | $73.72 | 2,060 |
| 19-3094 | $153,340 | $73.72 | 3,910 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $153,340 | $73.72 | 4,760 |
| Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers | $153,320 | $73.71 | 650 |
| General and Operations Managers | $151,420 | $72.80 | 108,510 |
| Software Developers | $150,880 | $72.54 | 68,210 |
| Sales Engineers | $148,020 | $71.16 | 850 |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | $145,480 | $69.94 | 2,320 |
| Chemists | $145,430 | $69.92 | 2,640 |
| Training and Development Managers | $145,260 | $69.84 | 1,060 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $144,040 | $69.25 | 35,080 |
| Pharmacists | $143,890 | $69.18 | 4,870 |
| Financial Examiners | $139,790 | $67.21 | 1,130 |
| Industrial Production Managers | $139,780 | $67.20 | 1,180 |
| Nurse Midwives | $139,770 | $67.20 | 320 |
| Information Security Analysts | $138,410 | $66.54 | 15,870 |
| Physician Assistants | $137,650 | $66.18 | 2,840 |
| Actuaries | $137,610 | $66.16 | 690 |
| Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other | $137,610 | $66.16 | 7,050 |
| Electrical Engineers | $136,820 | $65.78 | 3,660 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $136,490 | $65.62 | 11,640 |
| Fundraising Managers | $136,150 | $65.46 | 1,640 |
Where most people work
| Occupation | Employed | Median | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 108,510 | $151,420 | $72.80 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 77,770 | $104,000 | $50.00 |
| Management Analysts | 68,900 | $125,820 | $60.49 |
| Software Developers | 68,210 | $150,880 | $72.54 |
| Retail Salespersons | 65,060 | $35,730 | $17.18 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 63,090 | $34,280 | $16.48 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 57,480 | $37,100 | $17.84 |
| Cashiers | 54,070 | $34,800 | $16.73 |
| Lawyers | 48,170 | $191,880 | $92.25 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 45,170 | $38,440 | $18.48 |
| Registered Nurses | 43,640 | $101,800 | $48.94 |
| Managers, All Other | 42,870 | $167,270 | $80.42 |
| Project Management Specialists | 42,740 | $123,670 | $59.46 |
| Accountants and Auditors | 42,320 | $99,440 | $47.81 |
| Office Clerks, General | 41,220 | $51,270 | $24.65 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 40,900 | $37,260 | $17.91 |
| Security Guards | 39,200 | $47,260 | $22.72 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 37,150 | $44,800 | $21.54 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 35,940 | $51,580 | $24.80 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 35,390 | $37,450 | $18.01 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pay: common questions
What is the average salary in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The median across all occupations is $68,430, or $32.90 an hour, covering 3,118,630 wage and salary workers. The mean is $90,420, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.
Does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pay more than the rest of District of Columbia?
No. The metro median of $68,430 is 22.2% below the District of Columbia median of $88,000. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.
Which jobs pay best in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Nurse Anesthetists ($225,340), Family Medicine Physicians ($224,330), General Internal Medicine Physicians ($223,030). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.
What is Washington-Arlington-Alexandria unusually full of?
19-3094, at 32.53× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.