State salary profile · Washington

Washington Salaries

Washington statewide wages plus 11 metro areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas, from BLS OEWS May 2025. Published local OEWS areas include Bellingham, WA, Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA, Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area, Kennewick-Richland, WA, Longview-Kelso, WA, Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA, then Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA, Walla Walla, WA, Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA, Western Washington nonmetropolitan area.

$245,530
Mean of top 50 medians
756
Occupations
13
Local wage areas
253,880
Estimated jobs (top tier)

The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians in Washington is $245,530.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, The May 2025 release has a published median for 756 occupations in Washington; percentile boundaries and local-area rows are available only where BLS publishes them. The highest-paying reported occupation, Cardiologists, earns $656,330, versus $34,650 for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other at the bottom of the range. Detail is available for 11 metro areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas. Published local OEWS areas include Bellingham, WA, Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA, Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area, Kennewick-Richland, WA, Longview-Kelso, WA, Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA, then Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA, Walla Walla, WA, Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA, Western Washington nonmetropolitan area.

Washington · employment ≠ wage

In Washington, Software Developers lead by published employment (107,030 jobs, #1 of 736) but rank #33 of 736 on median wage ($166,540), while Cardiologists top the wage list at $656,330 (#1 of 736) with 200 jobs (#629 of 736). The largest payroll is not the highest published median.

107,030
Software Developers employment #1
$656,330
Cardiologists wage #1
#629
Employment rank of wage leader
#33
Wage rank of employment leader

Employment is OEWS tot_emp inside this state; pay is the occupation median. Same detailed-occupation pool, two rankings.

Employment of Washington's #1 occupations by headcount vs median wage

Same unit (published jobs) for both named leaders. BLS OEWS May 2025.

jobs

What this shows Software Developers lead Washington by employment; Cardiologists lead on median wage at $656,330.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

Washington, the picture in one line

Washington ranks #3 of 54 states and territories by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage; its highest published occupation median is Cardiologists at $656,330. Published local OEWS areas include Bellingham, WA, Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA, Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area, Kennewick-Richland, WA, Longview-Kelso, WA, Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA, then Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA, Walla Walla, WA, Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA, Western Washington nonmetropolitan area.

#3
of 54 states by published mean wage
$656,330
top-paying: Cardiologists
94th
percentile among all states
Bellingham, WA
local OEWS: Bellingham, WA and Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA

The state rank uses BLS's All Occupations mean. Occupation rows below use occupation-specific medians; the two statistics are not interchangeable. Start local checks in Bellingham, WA.

Statewide OEWS footprints behind Washington's 13 local areas

Software Developers and Computer and Information Systems Managers lead Washington's published employment inside this top-pay sample, order follows OEWS job counts, not median wage.

  1. 1. Software Developers 107,030 jobs · $166,540
  2. 2. Computer and Information Systems Managers 16,960 jobs · $209,370
  3. 3. Financial Managers 12,930 jobs · $174,840
  4. 4. Managers, All Other 10,490 jobs · $164,160
  5. 5. Sales Managers 10,030 jobs · $174,000
  6. 6. Data Scientists 9,600 jobs · $163,350
  7. 7. Marketing Managers 8,880 jobs · $172,270
  8. 8. Pharmacists 7,350 jobs · $160,610
  9. 9. Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary 6,470 jobs · $166,590
  10. 10. Physicians, All Other 6,300 jobs · $307,170
  11. 11. Architectural and Engineering Managers 6,060 jobs · $189,680
  12. 12. Aerospace Engineers 5,760 jobs · $158,370
  13. 13. Computer Network Architects 4,730 jobs · $168,070
  14. 14. Human Resources Managers 4,560 jobs · $165,530
  15. 15. Physician Assistants 3,540 jobs · $164,360
  16. 16. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers 3,450 jobs · $229,900
  17. 17. Dentists, General 3,240 jobs · $169,730
  18. 18. Chief Executives 3,170 jobs · $339,810
  19. 19. Natural Sciences Managers 2,490 jobs · $182,480
  20. 20. Veterinarians 2,390 jobs · $160,510

Local BLS wage areas inside Washington

Published local OEWS areas include Bellingham, WA, Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA, Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area, Kennewick-Richland, WA, Longview-Kelso, WA, Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA, then Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA, Walla Walla, WA, Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA, Western Washington nonmetropolitan area.

Bellingham, WA Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area Kennewick-Richland, WA Longview-Kelso, WA Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA Walla Walla, WA Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA Western Washington nonmetropolitan area Yakima, WA

Observed statewide pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2024–2025

May 2024 → May 2025
  • BLS's published All Occupations median in Washington moved from $61,590 in May 2024 to $62,990 in May 2025 (+2.3%).
  • Across the 54 states and territories priced in both releases, the median place changed +2.7%.
  • Washington sits -0.5 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists shows the widest statewide vs national median gap in Washington

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists publishes $59,510 here versus $35,790 nationally (+66.3%; 6,930statewide jobs). Next is Bartenders at $55,830 locally versus $34,340 nationally (+62.6%).

  1. Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$59,510 in Washington sits 66.3% above the national Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists median of $35,790 (6,930 published local jobs).
  2. Bartenders$55,830 in Washington sits 62.6% above the national Bartenders median of $34,340 (16,800 published local jobs).
  3. Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$102,350 in Washington sits 60.0% above the national Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education median of $63,970 (28,980 published local jobs).
  4. Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$99,960 in Washington sits 59.5% above the national Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education median of $62,680 (5,270 published local jobs).

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists and the other occupations above are descriptive OEWS endpoints for Washington; they are not findings about taxes, employers, or worker experience.

· Source: BLS OEWS May 2025

The Washington OEWS table has a published median for 756 occupations. The displayed top 50 rows have summed published employment of approximately 253,880; that sum does not include the bottom table or rows whose employment is suppressed. BLS publishes means and percentile boundaries only where the corresponding estimate meets its publication standards. Averaging the medians of the top 50 highest-paying occupations gives $245,530 per year. That is only a mean of the displayed upper-tier occupation medians; it is not the BLS All Occupations mean or median and does not describe a typical worker. Published local OEWS areas include Bellingham, WA, Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA, Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area, Kennewick-Richland, WA, Longview-Kelso, WA, Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA, then Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA, Walla Walla, WA, Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA, Western Washington nonmetropolitan area. Local OEWS areas in this extract include Bellingham, WA, Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA, Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area, Kennewick-Richland, WA, Longview-Kelso, WA, Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA, Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA, Walla Walla, WA, Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA, Western Washington nonmetropolitan area.

At the top of the ranking, Cardiologists pays a Washington median of $656,330, the highest-paying reported occupation in the state. The number-two spot goes to Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric at $553,310, followed by Dermatologists at $526,170. At the bottom of the published range, Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other has a median of $34,650, making the displayed endpoint ratio 18.9×. The endpoints do not establish a cause or career stage. WageDex has BLS occupation rows for 11 metro areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to Washington, allowing comparisons below the statewide estimate without treating nonmetropolitan areas as MSAs.

Because Washington publishes 13 OEWS areas, treat the statewide Cardiologists median as a roll-up and re-check the same occupation in Bellingham, WA or Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA where BLS releases the row. Tips and commissions stay inside OEWS; benefits and equity do not. Published local OEWS areas include Bellingham, WA, Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA, Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area, Kennewick-Richland, WA, Longview-Kelso, WA, Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA, then Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA, Walla Walla, WA, Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA, Western Washington nonmetropolitan area. Local OEWS area names are state-specific; statewide means are not metro offers.

Top-Tier Sample

75

occupations shown below

Avg. Median Salary

$245,530

top 50 occupations

Top Salary

$656,330

Cardiologists

Where Washington ranks by published mean wage

BLS All Occupations annual mean vs. 54 states & territories; local OEWS includes Bellingham, WA and Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA, Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area

$83,330 Top 6% higher than 94% of 54 states & territories

$0–$5,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Below this entry. $55,000–$60,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Below this entry. $60,000–$65,000: 16 states & territories (30%). Below this entry. $65,000–$70,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Below this entry. $70,000–$75,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Below this entry. $75,000–$80,000: 4 states & territories (7%). Below this entry. $80,000–$85,000: 3 states & territories (6%). This entry sits in this band. $85,000–$90,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. $90,000–$95,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $95,000–$100,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $100,000–$105,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $105,000–$110,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $110,000–$115,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. This state $0 $115,000 every state & territory, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$5,000 0 states & territories 0%
$5,000–$10,000 0 states & territories 0%
$10,000–$15,000 0 states & territories 0%
$15,000–$20,000 0 states & territories 0%
$20,000–$25,000 0 states & territories 0%
$25,000–$30,000 0 states & territories 0%
$30,000–$35,000 0 states & territories 0%
$35,000–$40,000 1 states & territories 2%
$40,000–$45,000 0 states & territories 0%
$45,000–$50,000 1 states & territories 2%
$50,000–$55,000 3 states & territories 6%
$55,000–$60,000 8 states & territories 15%
$60,000–$65,000 16 states & territories 30%
$65,000–$70,000 8 states & territories 15%
$70,000–$75,000 8 states & territories 15%
$75,000–$80,000 4 states & territories 7%
$80,000–$85,000 (this entry) 3 states & territories 6%
$85,000–$90,000 1 states & territories 2%
$90,000–$95,000 0 states & territories 0%
$95,000–$100,000 0 states & territories 0%
$100,000–$105,000 0 states & territories 0%
$105,000–$110,000 0 states & territories 0%
$110,000–$115,000 1 states & territories 2%

$83,330 · 94th percentile of 54 states & territories

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Washington ranks #3 of 54 by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage ($83,330). It is not the median wage or a prediction for a particular worker.

National-price-equivalent mean: dividing the $83,330 BLS All Occupations mean by the BEA state RPP gives $77,879. Inputs: BEA Regional Price Parity for Washington (RPP 107.0, 2024; 100 = national average, all items, table SARPP). The division is a WageDex calculation, not an after-tax or household-income measure.

Largest OEWS footprints in Washington

Published employment among the top-pay sample, top 15 by jobs

jobs
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

BLS publishes wage data for 756 distinct occupations in Washington. The table below shows the top 50 by median annual wage, reordered by published employment for this reading. Drill into the full top-100 ranking or the fastest-growing list for deeper coverage.

Top-pay occupations in Washington, by employment

View all 100 →

Same top-pay sample as the salary ranking, sorted by published Washington jobs so the title sequence follows the local OEWS mix.

# Occupation Median Salary
1 Software Developers $166,540
2 Computer and Information Systems Managers $209,370
3 Financial Managers $174,840
4 Managers, All Other $164,160
5 Sales Managers $174,000
6 Data Scientists $163,350
7 Marketing Managers $172,270
8 Pharmacists $160,610
9 Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary $166,590
10 Physicians, All Other $307,170
11 Architectural and Engineering Managers $189,680
12 Aerospace Engineers $158,370
13 Computer Network Architects $168,070
14 Human Resources Managers $165,530
15 Physician Assistants $164,360
16 Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers $229,900
17 Dentists, General $169,730
18 Chief Executives $339,810
19 Natural Sciences Managers $182,480
20 Veterinarians $160,510
21 Computer and Information Research Scientists $202,400
22 Computer Hardware Engineers $169,120
23 Purchasing Managers $162,730
24 Public Relations Managers $159,440
25 Anesthesiologists $499,990
26 Family Medicine Physicians $292,900
27 General Internal Medicine Physicians $340,010
28 Nurse Anesthetists $274,390
29 Optometrists $157,560
30 Training and Development Managers $163,360
31 Air Traffic Controllers $162,570
32 Advertising and Promotions Managers $163,380
33 Pediatricians, General $169,540
34 Compensation and Benefits Managers $199,190
35 Surgeons, All Other $479,460
36 Psychiatrists $304,920
37 Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric $553,310
38 Orthodontists $290,430
39 Obstetricians and Gynecologists $343,140
40 Cardiologists $656,330
41 Physicians, Pathologists $300,680
42 Neurologists $327,140
43 Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric $304,830
44 Dermatologists $526,170
45 Nurse Midwives $158,970
46 Podiatrists $232,970
47 Mathematicians $162,280
48 Medical Dosimetrists $189,280
49 Emergency Medicine Physicians $380,870
50 Commercial Divers $161,800

Lowest Paying Jobs in Washington

Occupation Median Salary
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other $34,650
Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products $34,950
Cutters and Trimmers, Hand $35,960
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop $37,270
Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials $37,620
Fast Food and Counter Workers $37,710
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers $37,770
Amusement and Recreation Attendants $37,790
Agricultural Equipment Operators $38,470
Gambling Change Persons and Booth Cashiers $38,640
Demonstrators and Product Promoters $38,670
Medical Transcriptionists $38,690
Cashiers $38,720
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant $38,870
Motion Picture Projectionists $39,070
Cooks, Fast Food $39,120
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse $39,170
Packers and Packagers, Hand $39,220
Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons $39,360
Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants $39,440
Physical Therapist Aides $39,500
Retail Salespersons $39,560
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers $39,590
Telemarketers $39,670
Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment $40,070

Fastest Growing Jobs

View all 50 →

See national growth projections alongside the published OEWS state employment estimates for each occupation in Washington. Based on BLS employment projections 2024-2034.

Salary Guides

Best States for Salaries

Which states pay the most and why

Salary vs. Cost of Living

Compare local wage and price-level benchmarks

Fastest Growing Occupations

Where the job growth is heading

Nationwide states with similar All Occupations pay or employment scale

Two BLS OEWS peer sets outside Washington. Local metro cards below stay inside this state; these neighborhoods are cross-state nearest neighbors on published All Occupations mean wage ($83,330 here) and reported employment (3,550,970 jobs here).

Similar mean wage

Nearest other states by BLS All Occupations annual mean wage.

Similar employment scale

Nearest headcount peers (floor 250,000 All Occupations jobs), distinct from the mean-wage column.

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS All Occupations mean annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude states already listed in the mean-wage column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Local OEWS areas and related Washington pages

Published local OEWS areas include Bellingham, WA, Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA, Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area, Kennewick-Richland, WA, Longview-Kelso, WA, Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA, then Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA, Walla Walla, WA, Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA, Western Washington nonmetropolitan area.

Bellingham, WA

Local OEWS wage area

Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA

Local OEWS wage area

Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area

Local OEWS wage area

Kennewick-Richland, WA

Local OEWS wage area

Longview-Kelso, WA

Local OEWS wage area

Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA

Local OEWS wage area

Highest Paying in Washington

Top 100 by median salary

Fastest Growing in Washington

Projected 2024-2034 growth

Cardiologists

National occupation profile

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average of the top 50 occupation medians in Washington? ▼
The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians is $245,530/year (BLS OEWS May 2025). It is not the statewide mean or median and does not describe the wage of a typical worker.
What is the average salary in Washington? ▼
BLS publishes an All Occupations annual mean wage of $83,330/year for Washington in the May 2025 OEWS release, which ranks 3rd among the 54 states and territories with a published mean. Published local OEWS areas include Bellingham, WA, Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA, Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area, Kennewick-Richland, WA, Longview-Kelso, WA, Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA, then Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA, Walla Walla, WA, Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA, Western Washington nonmetropolitan area. This is an occupational wage estimate, not a household-income statistic or a prediction for one worker.
What is the highest paying job in Washington? ▼
The highest paying occupation in Washington is Cardiologists with a median salary of $656,330/year according to BLS data. The second highest is Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric at $553,310/year.
What jobs pay the least in Washington? ▼
The lowest published occupation median in this Washington ranking is Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other at $34,650/year. The table does not classify that occupation as entry-level or explain why its median is lowest.
How many local BLS wage areas are shown for Washington? ▼
WageDex has occupation-level wage rows for 11 metro areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to Washington. Published local OEWS areas include Bellingham, WA, Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA, Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area, Kennewick-Richland, WA, Longview-Kelso, WA, Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA, then Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA, Walla Walla, WA, Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA, Western Washington nonmetropolitan area. Nonmetropolitan reporting areas are not MSAs. Compare the same occupation and statistic across areas; published coverage can differ by occupation and geography.
How many occupations are shown for Washington? ▼
BLS publishes wage data for 756 distinct occupations in Washington. The 50 occupations in the displayed upper tier have a combined OEWS employment estimate of approximately 253,880 jobs in covered establishments.

Local-area sources inside Washington

BLS OEWS state wage tables → BLS OEWS metro area tables → BLS LAUS unemployment → BEA personal income by state →

What to do with this data

How to use Washington wage data in a real decision

  • Washington has 13 published OEWS areas starting with Bellingham, WA; open Cardiologists inside a metro before using the statewide $656,330 median. Bellingham, WA
  • Inside Washington, re-check Cardiologists in Bellingham, WA, Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA, Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area, Kennewick-Richland, WA or Longview-Kelso, WA before treating the statewide median as a metro offer. Bellingham, WA
  • Open Cardiologists for percentile bands and local-area rows; Washington's statewide median of $656,330 uses a different geography than any single metro estimate. Cardiologists
  • The published Washington range runs from Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other at $34,650 to Cardiologists at $656,330; an offer still depends on the exact role and employer. Salary calculator

BLS OEWS estimates reflect the May 2025 reference period and exclude self-employed workers; some small occupation-area cells are suppressed.

Last updated: May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

State-level employment totals and local-area breakouts from BLS OEWS State and Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2025. Local areas can be metropolitan or nonmetropolitan.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. State wage figures are computed directly from BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Statewide figures are estimates and may not reflect pay in your specific local wage area or employer.