Pay data
Average Salary in Washington (2026)
The average salary in Washington is $83,330 a year and the median is $62,990, 24% above the US median (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices that median is worth $58,860: 3rd of the 50 states and DC by median wage, 5th once local prices are taken into account.
- Average (mean) salary
- $83,330US $69,770
- Median salary
- $62,990US $50,980
- Median hourly wage
- $30.28BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 107.0US = 100 · BEA 2024
Calculator
Where does your salary rank in Washington?
About the 58th percentile
You earn more than about 58% of workers in Washington.
At Washington prices, $75,000 buys what $70,080 buys at the national average, about the 66th percentile nationally.
Interpolated between the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentile wages BLS publishes for all occupations (OEWS, May 2025). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed. Price comparison uses BEA Regional Price Parities.
The spread
What Washington workers earn
| Percentile | Washington | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $38,670 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $47,020 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $62,990 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $101,710 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $153,630 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $83,330 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Washington
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states (US = 100). Washington sits at 107.0 overall, with housing at 126.0. To live the way $100,000 pays for at national-average prices, you would need about $107,010 here. Compare any two states or metros.
US = 100
- All items7% above US107
- Housing (rents)26% above US126
- Goods4% above US104.4
- Utilities7% below US92.9
- Other services4% above US103.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 107 |
| Housing (rents) | 126 |
| Goods | 104.4 |
| Utilities | 92.9 |
| Other services | 103.9 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
By field
Average salary in Washington by occupation group
| Occupation group | Median | vs US | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $159,990 | +26% | 181,480 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $136,830 | +25% | 239,720 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $112,400 | +13% | 78,360 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $108,780 | +26% | 192,470 |
| Legal | $107,090 | +4% | 26,640 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $98,030 | +19% | 295,720 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $94,160 | +14% | 46,720 |
| Construction and Extraction | $75,500 | +27% | 167,890 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $69,090 | +16% | 133,880 |
| Community and Social Service | $67,650 | +16% | 68,110 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $66,420 | +10% | 199,230 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $64,850 | +3% | 46,490 |
| Protective Service | $62,090 | +24% | 77,850 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $56,660 | +19% | 372,400 |
| Production | $55,380 | +18% | 159,640 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $50,500 | +14% | 298,930 |
| Healthcare Support | $48,400 | +26% | 188,800 |
| Sales | $47,510 | +23% | 294,020 |
| Personal Care and Service | $47,150 | +29% | 69,570 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $45,760 | +21% | 96,610 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $44,590 | +27% | 294,700 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $40,330 | +10% | 21,740 |
The jobs
The jobs behind Washington's pay
The most common jobs set the median; the best-paid set the top; the most over-represented jobs show what the state's economy specialises in (location quotient: the state's share of jobs in an occupation over the national share).
Most common jobs
By employment
- 1Software Developer107,030
- 2Fast Food and Counter Worker94,710
- 3Retail Salesperson84,850
- 4Registered Nurse69,260
- 5Cashier61,050
- 6Stocker and Order Filler57,370
- 7Business Continuity Planner51,650
- 8General and Operations Manager50,630
- 9Laborer and Freight, Stock, and Material Mover, Hand49,450
- 10Office Clerk, General49,050
Highest-paying jobs
Median, 500+ workers
- 1Anesthesiologist$499,990
- 2General Internal Medicine Physician$340,010
- 3Chief Executive$339,810
- 4Allergist and Immunologist$307,170
- 5Family Medicine Physician$292,900
- 6Nurse Anesthetist$274,390
- 7Airline Pilot$229,900
- 8IT Manager$209,370
- 9Computer and Information Research Scientist$202,400
- 10Architectural and Engineering Manager$189,680
Most over-represented
Location quotient, 1,000+ workers
- 1Avionics Technician7.9x
- 2Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologist and Technician6.2x
- 3Aircraft Structure, Surface, Rigging, and Systems Assembler5.5x
- 4Taper5.3x
- 5Grader and Sorter, Agricultural Products4.9x
- 6Web Designer4.5x
- 7Statistician4.5x
- 8Wildlife Biologist4.4x
- 9Nuclear Engineer4.0x
- 10Aerospace Engineer3.7x
Cities
Average salary by city in Washington
| Metro area | Median | Mean | Price level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | $72,610 | $91,790 | 111.1 |
| Bremerton, WA | $63,200 | $77,020 | 105.6 |
| Olympia, WA | $61,960 | $75,470 | 103.7 |
| Mount Vernon, WA | $59,590 | $71,790 | 102.4 |
| Bellingham, WA | $57,820 | $71,310 | 103.3 |
| Longview, WA | $57,420 | $68,090 | 97.5 |
| Kennewick, WA | $57,290 | $73,460 | 100.1 |
| Spokane, WA | $54,660 | $68,570 | 100.3 |
| Walla Walla, WA | $53,100 | $66,060 | 98.5 |
| Wenatchee, WA | $49,290 | $64,240 | 103.9 |
| Yakima, WA | $47,810 | $61,240 | 95.5 |
Compare
States with similar pay
Method
About these numbers
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all occupations in Washington. Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Wages are straight-time pay before tax, including commissions and tips, excluding overtime premiums, bonuses and benefits.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Washington: FAQ
What is the average salary in Washington?
The average (mean) annual wage in Washington is $83,330 and the median is $62,990, 24% above the US median of $50,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 3,550,970 wage and salary workers in all occupations.
What is the average hourly wage in Washington?
$40.06 an hour on average and $30.28 at the median (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What is a good salary in Washington?
Above $62,990 out-earns half of Washington workers; the top 25% start at $101,710 and the top 10% at $153,630 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Prices in Washington run 7% above the national average (BEA, 2024), so $100,000 here buys about what $93,450 buys nationally.
Is Washington expensive to live in?
BEA puts overall prices in Washington at 107.0 against a US average of 100 (2024). Housing is 126.0, goods 104.4, utilities 92.9 and other services 103.9. To match a $100,000 national-average lifestyle you would need about $107,010 here.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Washington?
Anesthesiologist ($499,990), General Internal Medicine Physician ($340,010), Chief Executive ($339,810), Allergist and Immunologist ($307,170), Family Medicine Physician ($292,900) have the highest median wages among occupations with at least 500 workers in Washington (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What are the most common jobs in Washington?
Software Developer (107,030), Fast Food and Counter Worker (94,710), Retail Salesperson (84,850), Registered Nurse (69,260), Cashier (61,050) employ the most people (BLS OEWS, May 2025).