Average Salary in Washington
What workers in Washington 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$83,330Rank #3 of 51 · US $69,770
- Median annual wage$62,990Rank #3 of 51 · US $50,980
- Mean hourly wage$40.06Median $30.28/hour
- Median monthly pay$5,249Mean $6,944/month
- Median household income$99,389ACS 2024 · rank #8
- Price level (RPP)107.0US = 100 · BEA 2024
What is the average salary in Washington?
The average (mean) annual wage across all occupations in Washington is $83,330, and the median annual wage is $62,990, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 OEWS estimates. The mean is 19.4% above the national mean of $69,770; the median is 23.6% above the national median of $50,980. Washington ranks #3 of the 50 states and DC for mean wage and #3 for median wage.
The mean is $20,340 (32%) 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 Washington earns. Why mean and median differ →
The estimates cover 3,550,970 wage and salary jobs in Washington (self-employed workers are not included).
Monthly, weekly and hourly pay in Washington
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 | $83,330 | $62,990 |
| Monthly | $6,944 | $5,249 |
| Bi-weekly paycheck | $3,205 | $2,423 |
| Weekly | $1,602 | $1,211 |
| Hourly | $40.06 | $30.28 |
Estimate take-home pay on the Washington median wage (2026 tax year) →
What is a good salary in Washington?
“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 Washington:
| Percentile | Annual | Monthly | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $38,670 | $3,222 | 90% of workers earn more |
| 25th | $47,020 | $3,918 | 75% earn more |
| 50th (median) | $62,990 | $5,249 | half earn more, half less |
| 75th | $101,710 | $8,476 | top 25% earn more than this |
| 90th | $153,630 | $12,802 | top 10% earn more than this |
In practice, a salary above $62,990 beats more than half of Washington workers, about $101,710 puts you in the top quarter, and $153,630 or more puts you in the top 10%. These are individual wages, not household income. Compare percentiles across states →
Household income and earnings in Washington
| Measure (ACS 2024) | Washington | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $99,389 | $81,604 |
| Median family income | $120,265 | $101,265 |
| Per-capita income | $55,177 | $45,256 |
| Median earnings, all workers with earnings | $56,325 | $46,949 |
| Median earnings, men working full-time year-round | $81,895 | $66,965 |
| Median earnings, women working full-time year-round | $67,361 | $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 Washington have median earnings equal to 82% of men’s. Household income in every state →
Salary vs. cost of living in Washington
Prices in Washington are about 7.0% above the national average (BEA regional price parity 107.0; housing 126.0). Adjusted for that, the median wage of $62,990 is worth $58,869 at national-average prices (rank #5), and the mean wage is worth $77,879 (rank #3). Cost-of-living adjusted ranking →
Washington does not tax wage income (it taxes certain capital gains only), so take-home pay is reduced only by federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare — plus Washington’s payroll premiums for paid family/medical leave and WA Cares.
Washington vs. neighboring states
| State | Mean wage | Median wage | RPP | Adjusted median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $83,330 | $62,990 | 107.0 | $58,869 |
| Idaho | $61,170 | $47,970 | 95.5 | $50,230 |
| Oregon | $72,460 | $57,000 | 103.4 | $55,126 |
Highest-paying occupations in Washington
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radiologists | $239,200+ | $239,200+ | 1,480 |
| Anesthesiologists | $508,520 | $499,990 | 1,540 |
| Surgeons, All Other | $382,200 | $479,460 | 370 |
| Chief Executives | $360,290 | $339,810 | 3,170 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $327,250 | $340,010 | 1,100 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $298,560 | $229,900 | 3,450 |
| Physicians, All Other | $293,760 | $307,170 | 6,300 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $274,210 | $292,900 | 1,270 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $273,760 | $274,390 | 760 |
| Psychiatrists | $265,600 | $304,920 | 360 |
Most common jobs in Washington and what they pay
| Occupation | Employment | Median wage | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | 107,030 | $166,540 | $80.07 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 103,260 | $47,730 | $22.95 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 94,710 | $37,710 | $18.13 |
| Retail Salespersons | 84,850 | $39,560 | $19.02 |
| Registered Nurses | 69,260 | $124,200 | $59.71 |
| Cashiers | 61,050 | $38,720 | $18.62 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 57,370 | $44,620 | $21.45 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 51,650 | $100,360 | $48.25 |
| General and Operations Managers | 50,630 | $133,750 | $64.30 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 49,450 | $46,190 | $22.21 |
The largest occupation in Washington is software developers, with 107,030 jobs and a median wage of $166,540. 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 Washington
| Occupation | Mean wage | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physician | $274,210 | $292,900 | 1,270 |
| Financial Manager | $195,430 | $174,840 | 12,930 |
| Marketing Manager | $185,590 | $172,270 | 8,880 |
| Dentist (General) | $195,810 | $169,730 | 3,240 |
| Software Developer | $171,040 | $166,540 | 107,030 |
| Physician Assistant | $164,430 | $164,360 | 3,540 |
| Data Scientist | $158,040 | $163,350 | 9,600 |
| Pharmacist | $159,100 | $160,610 | 7,350 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $152,180 | $156,100 | 6,700 |
| Construction Manager | $158,890 | $155,070 | 6,010 |
| Information Security Analyst | $156,080 | $154,940 | 6,030 |
| Lawyer | $169,940 | $154,130 | 12,770 |
| Medical and Health Services Manager | $162,380 | $145,290 | 7,490 |
| General and Operations Manager | $158,920 | $133,750 | 50,630 |
| Electrical Engineer | $136,970 | $132,710 | 7,610 |
| Dental Hygienist | $131,530 | $131,160 | 6,330 |
| Web Developer | $124,290 | $130,440 | 4,430 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $131,270 | $129,410 | 24,120 |
| Registered Nurse | $121,540 | $124,200 | 69,260 |
| Project Management Specialist | $127,580 | $124,160 | 36,240 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $121,370 | $110,430 | 8,240 |
| Civil Engineer | $117,670 | $110,000 | 12,590 |
| Occupational Therapist | $110,100 | $107,670 | 3,340 |
| Financial and Investment Analyst | $117,650 | $107,210 | 8,820 |
| Physical Therapist | $108,550 | $105,950 | 5,370 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $107,610 | $105,550 | 3,570 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrator | $107,640 | $103,910 | 8,600 |
| High School Teacher | $99,350 | $102,670 | 14,880 |
| Elementary School Teacher | $97,970 | $102,350 | 28,980 |
| Middle School Teacher | $99,330 | $102,140 | 10,510 |
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer | $104,140 | $102,080 | 9,160 |
| Accountant and Auditor | $102,700 | $96,550 | 34,740 |
| Electrician | $94,470 | $95,220 | 19,380 |
| Firefighter | $89,200 | $94,520 | 7,560 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $94,000 | $84,550 | 22,770 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN/LVN) | $83,900 | $83,150 | 6,780 |
| Plumber, Pipefitter and Steamfitter | $88,800 | $81,030 | 12,470 |
| Correctional Officer | $78,150 | $79,460 | 6,800 |
| Paralegal and Legal Assistant | $83,740 | $79,400 | 9,460 |
| Diesel Mechanic | $78,790 | $77,900 | 7,410 |
| HVAC Technician | $78,860 | $75,660 | 7,370 |
| Child, Family and School Social Worker | $74,100 | $74,480 | 10,720 |
| Carpenter | $79,170 | $74,190 | 26,960 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver | $68,230 | $64,760 | 40,530 |
| Welder | $66,340 | $63,020 | 7,720 |
| Medical Assistant | $58,590 | $59,290 | 19,500 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting and Auditing Clerk | $60,090 | $58,620 | 32,930 |
| Construction Laborer | $61,320 | $57,720 | 25,060 |
| Secretary and Administrative Assistant | $58,130 | $57,330 | 31,710 |
| Automotive Service Technician | $62,460 | $57,270 | 12,930 |
| Customer Service Representative | $54,140 | $50,330 | 39,760 |
| Nursing Assistant (CNA) | $52,230 | $49,180 | 30,270 |
| Retail Salesperson | $43,530 | $39,560 | 84,850 |
| Cashier | $41,930 | $38,720 | 61,050 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in Washington?
The average (mean) annual wage in Washington is $83,330, or $40.06 per hour, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates. The median wage — what a typical worker earns — is $62,990 a year ($30.28 per hour).
What is the average monthly salary in Washington?
Dividing the annual figures by 12, the mean wage in Washington works out to about $6,944 per month and the median wage to about $5,249 per month, before taxes.
What is considered a good salary in Washington?
Earning more than the median of $62,990 puts you above half of all workers in Washington. A salary of $101,710 or more is in the top 25%, and $153,630 or more is in the top 10% of wage earners in the state.
What is the median household income in Washington?
Median household income in Washington was $99,389 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 Washington have a state income tax on wages?
No. Washington does not tax wage income at the state level.