General and Operations Managers Salary in Seattle, WA (2024)
General and Operations Managers in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area earn a median of $141,280 per year ($67.93 per hour) based on 30,890 jobs counted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2024. That is +37.2% against the national median of $102,950 for this occupation.
Pay distribution
The median is a single point on a wide curve. The table below shows where general and operations managers actually sit across the pay range in Seattle, WA, from the bottom decile to the top.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35.88 | $74,640 | |
| 25th percentile | $48.60 | $101,080 | |
| Median | $67.93 | $141,280 | half earn more, half earn less |
| 75th percentile | $99.03 | $205,990 | |
| 90th percentile | — | — | |
| Average (mean) | $82.62 | $171,840 |
How Seattle, WA compares
The local median of $141,280 runs +37.2% above the US median of $102,950 for this occupation; it pays 109.3% more than the metro-wide median across all jobs ($67,510); within the metro it ranks 44th of 687 detailed occupations by median pay.
| Benchmark | Median annual | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA — this occupation | $141,280 | — |
| US median, same occupation (all areas) | $102,950 | +37.2% |
| Seattle, WA — all occupations | $67,510 | +109.3% |
| Highest metro in the US for this job | $152,090 | -7.1% |
A location quotient of 0.64 sits slightly below the national average, meaning the occupation accounts for a smaller share of local employment than it does across the US.
High confidence The relative standard error on this estimate is 2.3%, which is a tight margin — the figure is stable enough to plan around.
Ranked 44th of 687 detailed occupations in the metro by median annual wage.
Highest-paying jobs in Seattle, WA
To put $141,280 in context, these are the best-paid detailed occupations in the same metro area. This occupation sits 44th.
| Occupation | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Anesthetists | $237,310 | 410 |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | $232,120 | 2,070 |
| Compensation and Benefits Managers | $214,220 | 400 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $212,450 | 13,900 |
| Dentists, General | $208,810 | 1,670 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $208,230 | 2,260 |
| Medical Dosimetrists | $201,780 | 40 |
| Advertising and Promotions Managers | $192,970 | 140 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $183,640 | 4,560 |
| Financial Managers | $180,770 | 9,460 |
Where general and operations managers earn the most
Across the 24 metro areas with released data for this occupation, medians run from $83,410 to $152,090. These are the top markets.
| Metro area | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $152,090 | 42,330 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $151,420 | 108,510 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $149,260 | 187,400 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $141,280 | 30,890 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $137,950 | 24,070 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $129,850 | 76,980 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $127,610 | 102,370 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $111,490 | 68,020 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $110,350 | 25,260 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $108,940 | 44,460 |
See the full national picture on the General and Operations Managers salary by metro page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median salary for general and operations managers in Seattle, WA?
The median annual wage is $141,280, or $68 per hour. That means half of the general and operations managers working in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area earn more than this figure and half earn less. The average is $171,840.
Is general and operations managers pay in Seattle, WA above the local average?
Yes, it is 109.3% above the all-occupation median for the metro, which is $67,510. That comparison is the fairer one for judging local purchasing power, because it holds the metro's overall cost and wage level constant.
How does Seattle, WA pay compare with the rest of the US for this job?
At $141,280 the metro median is 37.2% higher than the US median of $102,950 for general and operations managers. Across the 24 metro areas covered here, this occupation ranges from $83,410 to $152,090.
How many general and operations managers work in Seattle, WA?
BLS counts about 30,890 people in this occupation in the metro area, or 14.83 jobs per 1,000 total jobs. A location quotient of 0.64 sits slightly below the national average, meaning the occupation accounts for a smaller share of local employment than it does across the US.
About these figures
Figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for 2024 (employment relative standard error 5.8%). OEWS measures what employers pay, not what any individual earns; it excludes self-employed workers, and it does not adjust for local cost of living.
Read the full methodology, or the original data at bls.gov/oes.