Average Salary in District of Columbia
What workers in District of Columbia earn: mean and median wages, monthly and hourly pay, the full wage distribution, household income and cost-of-living context. Wage data: BLS OEWS May 2025.
- Mean annual wage$111,010Rank #1 of 51 · US $69,770
- Median annual wage$91,540Rank #1 of 51 · US $50,980
- Mean hourly wage$53.37Median $44.01/hour
- Median monthly pay$7,628Mean $9,251/month
- Median household income$109,707ACS 2024 · rank #1
- Price level (RPP)109.9US = 100 · BEA 2024
What is the average salary in District of Columbia?
The average (mean) annual wage across all occupations in District of Columbia is $111,010, and the median annual wage is $91,540, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 OEWS estimates. The mean is 59.1% above the national mean of $69,770; the median is 79.6% above the national median of $50,980. District of Columbia ranks #1 of the 50 states and DC for mean wage and #1 for median wage.
The mean is $19,470 (21%) higher than the median. That gap is normal: a minority of very high earners pulls the average up, so the median is the better guide to what a typical worker in District of Columbia earns. Why mean and median differ →
The estimates cover 701,920 wage and salary jobs in District of Columbia (self-employed workers are not included).
Monthly, weekly and hourly pay in District of Columbia
Gross pay before taxes. Monthly = annual ÷ 12, bi-weekly = annual ÷ 26, weekly = annual ÷ 52. Hourly figures are published by BLS.
| Pay period | Mean (average) | Median (typical) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual | $111,010 | $91,540 |
| Monthly | $9,251 | $7,628 |
| Bi-weekly paycheck | $4,270 | $3,521 |
| Weekly | $2,135 | $1,760 |
| Hourly | $53.37 | $44.01 |
Estimate take-home pay on the District of Columbia median wage (2026 tax year) →
What is a good salary in District of Columbia?
“Good” depends on your household and where in the state you live, but the wage distribution shows where a salary stands relative to other workers in District of Columbia:
| Percentile | Annual | Monthly | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $39,650 | $3,304 | 90% of workers earn more |
| 25th | $55,460 | $4,622 | 75% earn more |
| 50th (median) | $91,540 | $7,628 | half earn more, half less |
| 75th | $144,680 | $12,057 | top 25% earn more than this |
| 90th | $195,190 | $16,266 | top 10% earn more than this |
In practice, a salary above $91,540 beats more than half of District of Columbia workers, about $144,680 puts you in the top quarter, and $195,190 or more puts you in the top 10%. These are individual wages, not household income. Compare percentiles across states →
Household income and earnings in District of Columbia
| Measure (ACS 2024) | District of Columbia | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $109,707 | $81,604 |
| Median family income | $151,049 | $101,265 |
| Per-capita income | $76,604 | $45,256 |
| Median earnings, all workers with earnings | $80,645 | $46,949 |
| Median earnings, men working full-time year-round | $111,603 | $66,965 |
| Median earnings, women working full-time year-round | $97,942 | $55,678 |
Household income adds up the income of everyone in a household — often two earners, plus Social Security, investment and self-employment income — so it is higher than any per-worker wage figure. Women working full-time year-round in District of Columbia have median earnings equal to 88% of men’s. Household income in every state →
Salary vs. cost of living in District of Columbia
Prices in District of Columbia are about 9.9% above the national average (BEA regional price parity 109.9; housing 155.0). Adjusted for that, the median wage of $91,540 is worth $83,294 at national-average prices (rank #1), and the mean wage is worth $101,010 (rank #1). Cost-of-living adjusted ranking →
District of Columbia taxes wage income, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures above by federal tax, FICA and state income tax.
District of Columbia vs. neighboring states
| State | Mean wage | Median wage | RPP | Adjusted median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $111,010 | $91,540 | 109.9 | $83,294 |
| Maryland | $77,580 | $59,510 | 105.0 | $56,676 |
| Virginia | $74,040 | $55,690 | 101.1 | $55,084 |
Highest-paying occupations in District of Columbia
Detailed occupations with at least 300 jobs in the state, ranked by mean annual wage. “$239,200+” means BLS reports only that the wage is at or above that level.
| Occupation | Mean wage | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawyers | $242,800 | $195,190 | 33,070 |
| Public Relations Managers | $217,060 | $197,600 | 7,410 |
| Financial Managers | $210,420 | $188,880 | 8,930 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $207,560 | $223,250 | 490 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $200,760 | $195,190 | 5,690 |
| Marketing Managers | $194,070 | $177,170 | 3,470 |
| Human Resources Managers | $187,830 | $184,350 | 2,250 |
| Financial Examiners | $187,240 | $198,720 | 470 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $185,230 | $185,220 | 1,290 |
| Psychiatrists | $181,090 | $183,080 | 310 |
Most common jobs in District of Columbia and what they pay
| Occupation | Employment | Median wage | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 37,790 | $108,160 | $52.00 |
| General and Operations Managers | 36,150 | $168,000 | $80.77 |
| Lawyers | 33,070 | $195,190 | $93.84 |
| Management Analysts | 19,000 | $126,140 | $60.65 |
| Managers, All Other | 18,570 | $175,720 | $84.48 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | 17,200 | $156,590 | $75.29 |
| Public Relations Specialists | 16,720 | $102,740 | $49.40 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 16,400 | $38,520 | $18.52 |
| Security Guards | 15,880 | $64,210 | $30.87 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 12,810 | $42,700 | $20.53 |
The largest occupation in District of Columbia is business operations specialists, all other, with 37,790 jobs and a median wage of $108,160. Many of the most common jobs pay well below the state median, which is one reason the overall median sits far below the mean.
Salaries for 54 common occupations in District of Columbia
Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in District of Columbia?
The average (mean) annual wage in District of Columbia is $111,010, or $53.37 per hour, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates. The median wage — what a typical worker earns — is $91,540 a year ($44.01 per hour).
What is the average monthly salary in District of Columbia?
Dividing the annual figures by 12, the mean wage in District of Columbia works out to about $9,251 per month and the median wage to about $7,628 per month, before taxes.
What is considered a good salary in District of Columbia?
Earning more than the median of $91,540 puts you above half of all workers in District of Columbia. A salary of $144,680 or more is in the top 25%, and $195,190 or more is in the top 10% of wage earners in the state.
What is the median household income in District of Columbia?
Median household income in District of Columbia was $109,707 in the Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey, compared with $81,604 nationally. Household income combines all earners and income sources in a home.
Does District of Columbia have a state income tax on wages?
Yes. District of Columbia taxes wage income, so state income tax is deducted from paychecks in addition to federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.