Washington, DC Salary Guide (2024)
The median annual wage across all occupations in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area is $68,430, spread over roughly 3,118,630 jobs. This guide breaks that down across 80 detailed occupations with released wage data, from general and operations managers down to the smallest job categories BLS can publish.
Salary by occupation in Washington, DC
Ranked by median annual wage. Every row links to a full page with the local pay distribution, the percentile breakdown, and how the metro compares with the rest of the country.
| Occupation | Hourly | Annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | $72.80 | $151,420 | 108,510 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | $50.00 | $104,000 | 77,770 |
| Management Analysts | $60.49 | $125,820 | 68,900 |
| Software Developers | $72.54 | $150,880 | 68,210 |
| Retail Salespersons | $17.18 | $35,730 | 65,060 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $16.48 | $34,280 | 63,090 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $17.84 | $37,100 | 57,480 |
| Cashiers | $16.73 | $34,800 | 54,070 |
| Lawyers | $92.25 | $191,880 | 48,170 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $18.48 | $38,440 | 45,170 |
| Registered Nurses | $48.94 | $101,800 | 43,640 |
| Managers, All Other | $80.42 | $167,270 | 42,870 |
| Project Management Specialists | $59.46 | $123,670 | 42,740 |
| Accountants and Auditors | $47.81 | $99,440 | 42,320 |
| Office Clerks, General | $24.65 | $51,270 | 41,220 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $17.91 | $37,260 | 40,900 |
| Security Guards | $22.72 | $47,260 | 39,200 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $21.54 | $44,800 | 37,150 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $24.80 | $51,580 | 35,940 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $18.00 | $37,450 | 35,390 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $69.25 | $144,040 | 35,080 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $20.22 | $42,050 | 30,860 |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $36.60 | $76,120 | 30,500 |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $35.96 | $74,800 | 30,020 |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | $18.55 | $38,580 | 27,250 |
| Financial Managers | $85.43 | $177,690 | 25,520 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $19.81 | $41,200 | 25,480 |
| Human Resources Specialists | $46.80 | $97,340 | 25,320 |
| Nursing Assistants | $20.83 | $43,330 | 24,080 |
| Public Relations Specialists | $45.85 | $95,370 | 24,000 |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | $26.68 | $55,500 | 23,180 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $36.19 | $75,280 | 22,260 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $28.39 | $59,050 | 20,890 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $92.25 | $191,880 | 20,770 |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $37.44 | $77,880 | 20,140 |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | $40.69 | $84,640 | 20,140 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | $23.99 | $49,900 | 19,630 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $22.86 | $47,550 | 18,090 |
| Construction Laborers | $22.36 | $46,500 | 18,060 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | $27.41 | $57,010 | 17,990 |
| Computer Systems Analysts | $60.66 | $126,170 | 17,720 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $36.18 | $75,250 | 17,710 |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | $19.12 | $39,760 | 17,510 |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | $19.16 | $39,850 | 16,740 |
| Electricians | $36.28 | $75,460 | 16,520 |
| Light Truck Drivers | $23.10 | $48,040 | 16,480 |
| Information Security Analysts | $66.54 | $138,410 | 15,870 |
| Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $17.70 | $36,810 | 15,560 |
| Bartenders | $24.07 | $50,070 | 15,110 |
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $36.34 | $75,580 | 14,900 |
Median pay across these occupations runs from $34,280 to $191,880 — a 5.6× spread between the lowest- and highest-paid detailed occupations in the metro. The all-occupation median of $68,430 sits nearer the bottom of that range, because the largest job categories in most metros are also among the lower-paid ones.
Frequently asked questions about Washington, DC pay
What is the median salary in Washington, DC?
Across all occupations, the median annual wage in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area is $68,430. Total employment covered by the survey is about 3,118,630 jobs.
Which jobs pay the most in Washington, DC?
The highest median wage in the metro belongs to general and operations managers at $151,420, followed by business operations specialists, all other ($104,000) and management analysts ($125,820).
How many occupations are covered for Washington, DC?
This guide covers 80 detailed occupations with released wage data for the metro area, out of the 800+ detailed occupations the OEWS survey tracks nationally. Occupations with too few workers locally to publish a reliable estimate are excluded by BLS.
Is this enough to live on in Washington, DC?
These are nominal wages — they are not adjusted for local housing, tax, or transport costs. A median that looks high in Washington, DC may buy less than a lower median in a cheaper metro. Use the all-occupation median of $68,430 as the local baseline and compare any specific job against that, not against the national number.
About these figures
Data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024. OEWS surveys employers, so it excludes self-employed workers and independent contractors, and it reports wages rather than total compensation. Occupations with too few workers locally to produce a reliable estimate are suppressed by BLS and therefore absent from this page.
Full detail in the methodology. Original data: bls.gov/oes.