May 2025 OEWS · District of Columbia

Highest-paying jobs in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

All-occupations median

$71,060

10th percentile: $36,260
25th percentile: $44,990
Median: $71,060
75th percentile: $121,680
90th percentile: $174,600
Mean: $91,930

Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.

Employment across all occupations: 3,136,190.

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for this metro is 108.884, with the United States at 100. Compare prices.

District of Columbia · What this metro includes

An electrician connecting a generator to a home electrical panel — An electrician at a home electrical panel. Photograph by editor B. Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Highest published annual medians

Detailed occupations in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV with a published annual median, May 2025.
Occupation	Employment	10th	Median	90th
Radiologists	Not available	$125,210	$443,020	$626,320
Anesthesiologists	200	$72,040	$397,210	$517,100
Dermatologists	Not available	$127,250	$329,990	$661,540
Cardiologists	Not available	$74,450	$253,610	$590,090
Orthodontists	Not available	$98,300	$248,110	$403,620
Psychiatrists	550	$45,150	$246,990	$377,060
Physicians, Pathologists	90	$134,790	$237,190	$329,560
Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric	Not available	$107,870	$226,640	$309,730
Family Medicine Physicians	1,470	$125,150	$225,140	$329,200
Surgeons, All Other	340	$107,720	$224,860	$498,050
General Internal Medicine Physicians	1,370	$60,580	$223,250	$423,610
Nurse Anesthetists	440	$107,850	$223,150	$351,080
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers	5,100	$94,790	$209,750	$358,480
Physicians, All Other	10,650	$77,430	$208,710	$402,900
Dentists, All Other Specialists	Not available	$162,680	$207,450	$247,980
Public Relations Managers	9,470	$117,350	$195,190	$340,440
Computer and Information Systems Managers	20,800	$133,100	$195,190	$295,960
Lawyers	46,840	$106,520	$195,190	$382,890
Financial Managers	26,430	$122,670	$185,270	$327,470
Architectural and Engineering Managers	5,500	$138,180	$185,220	$259,680
Dentists, General	3,040	$105,610	$184,540	$324,370
Marketing Managers	8,900	$106,860	$181,260	$296,500
Nuclear Engineers	840	$115,490	$180,360	$204,940
Human Resources Managers	6,280	$111,720	$177,960	$282,330
Sales Managers	8,780	$83,560	$175,820	$306,700
Air Traffic Controllers	1,800	$47,760	$174,870	$225,680
Pediatricians, General	550	$79,240	$172,520	$354,030
Purchasing Managers	4,180	$132,890	$172,150	$217,790
Compensation and Benefits Managers	590	$116,580	$171,950	$281,000
Physicists	1,520	$98,950	$171,580	$225,680
Managers, All Other	42,010	$128,610	$170,980	$221,230
Physical Scientists, All Other	2,740	$95,870	$170,980	$263,580
Legal Support Workers, All Other	6,430	$76,140	$169,690	$195,190
Natural Sciences Managers	5,890	$123,920	$169,060	$232,340
Aerospace Engineers	2,420	$104,030	$166,420	$249,990
Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other	5,970	$111,530	$166,230	$195,190
Mathematicians	200	$74,980	$164,470	$207,480
Emergency Management Directors	310	$89,990	$163,220	$195,190
Database Architects	4,740	$107,070	$162,870	$216,370
Neurologists	190	$161,560	$161,560	$332,130

Occupations with an hourly median only

Annual wages were not published. No yearly figure is estimated from the hourly wage.
Occupation	Employment	10th	Median	90th
Musicians and Singers	410	$25.37	$64.25	$173.45
Disc Jockeys, Except Radio	Not available	$25.86	$25.86	$36.75
Actors	450	$15.54	$23.10	$82.35

Largest occupations

Largest detailed occupations in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV by May 2025 employment.
Occupation	Employment	10th	Median	90th
General and Operations Managers	112,530	$67,600	$156,460	$291,420
Business Operations Specialists, All Other	76,600	$59,010	$104,770	$184,020
Software Developers	69,060	$96,450	$154,930	$213,660
Retail Salespersons	66,920	$30,640	$36,610	$47,800
Management Analysts	62,360	$78,970	$126,830	$181,280
Fast Food and Counter Workers	60,560	$30,460	$34,600	$42,490
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners	59,090	$31,720	$37,840	$48,780
Cashiers	50,600	$30,330	$35,470	$44,710
Home Health and Personal Care Aides	50,450	$30,670	$38,530	$46,080
Lawyers	46,840	$106,520	$195,190	$382,890
Registered Nurses	46,830	$80,750	$102,710	$132,900
Waiters and Waitresses	46,160	$31,880	$46,040	$81,060
Managers, All Other	42,010	$128,610	$170,980	$221,230
Accountants and Auditors	41,470	$67,530	$102,140	$170,980
Security Guards	40,950	$36,530	$46,830	$78,790
Office Clerks, General	39,410	$36,230	$51,880	$76,240
Project Management Specialists	38,230	$74,110	$127,030	$192,450
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive	37,010	$37,890	$53,660	$79,660
Customer Service Representatives	36,750	$35,640	$46,220	$73,150
Stockers and Order Fillers	35,340	$31,280	$37,870	$50,050
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	30,940	$60,790	$79,470	$122,580
Cooks, Restaurant	29,670	$35,310	$42,920	$49,650
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel	29,300	$40,930	$78,110	$173,470
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand	28,510	$35,290	$42,590	$55,190
Financial Managers	26,430	$122,670	$185,270	$327,470

Questions this page answers

What is the median wage in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

Across all occupations, the May 2025 median annual wage in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is $71,060. Employment is 3,136,190.

Which published occupation has the highest median in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

Radiologists has the highest published annual median on this list, $443,020, in the May 2025 OEWS estimates for Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.