High paying jobs in District of Columbia

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in District of Columbia. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

Cost of living: prices in District of Columbia run 9.9% above the national average (2024), so a District of Columbia salary is worth about 0.91× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in District of Columbia.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in District of Columbia

OccupationMedian, District of Columbia · Employed

1General Internal Medicine Physicians$223,250
Doctoral or professional degree
$48,710 – $513,990490
2Financial Examiners$198,720
Bachelor's degree
$84,050 – $256,820470
3Public Relations Managers$197,600
Bachelor's degree
$117,350 – $346,1307,410
4Lawyers$195,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$120,580 – $392,75033,070
5Computer and Information Systems Managers$195,190
Bachelor's degree
$126,520 – $286,2805,690
6Nuclear Engineers$195,190
Bachelor's degree
$128,960 – $207,480230
7Financial Managers$188,880
Bachelor's degree
$130,880 – $349,4208,930
8Architectural and Engineering Managers$185,220
Bachelor's degree
$138,470 – $225,0801,290
9Human Resources Managers$184,350
Bachelor's degree
$113,300 – $275,0002,250
10Psychiatrists$183,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$45,150 – $304,250310
11Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers$181,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$107,050 – $207,480300
12Marketing Managers$177,170
Bachelor's degree
$107,400 – $291,7403,470
13Managers, All Other$175,720
Bachelor's degree
$134,950 – $221,75018,570
14Purchasing Managers$175,720
Bachelor's degree
$147,220 – $195,1901,110
15Marine Engineers and Naval Architects$172,330
Bachelor's degree
$107,030 – $195,190490
16General and Operations Managers$168,000
Bachelor's degree
$88,590 – $312,07036,150
17Economists$167,590
Master's degree
$98,350 – $299,1103,000
18Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$167,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$66,810 – $304,5101,460
19Economics Teachers, Postsecondary$161,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$94,510 – $217,850220
20Detectives and Criminal Investigators$160,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$94,220 – $195,1902,980
21Aerospace Engineers$157,600
Bachelor's degree
$98,200 – $196,310290
22Physicists$157,040
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,820 – $202,360480
23Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$157,040
Bachelor's degree
$113,300 – $195,190400
24Natural Sciences Managers$156,730
Bachelor's degree
$79,390 – $195,1901,540
25Physical Scientists, All Other$156,730
Bachelor's degree
$101,400 – $195,190790
26Computer Occupations, All Other$156,590
Bachelor's degree
$87,400 – $207,70017,200
27Medical and Health Services Managers$155,140
Bachelor's degree
$95,860 – $227,2702,010
28Pharmacists$153,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,870 – $196,080850
29Political Scientists$152,530
Master's degree
$114,920 – $195,1903,070
30Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other$151,990
Master's degree
$101,940 – $195,190490
31Engineers, All Other$151,920
Bachelor's degree
$101,990 – $195,1903,560
32Database Architects$150,010
Bachelor's degree
$82,220 – $225,110790
33Chemists$149,860
Bachelor's degree
$101,400 – $195,190280
34Computer and Information Research Scientists$144,190
Master's degree
$100,010 – $196,640330
35Electrical Engineers$143,000
Bachelor's degree
$87,450 – $195,190330
36Sales Managers$141,800
Bachelor's degree
$83,560 – $270,3401,930
37Fundraising Managers$141,720
Bachelor's degree
$106,470 – $221,580800
38Education Administrators, All Other$140,670
Bachelor's degree
$79,380 – $185,790740
39Statisticians$140,670
Master's degree
$80,980 – $185,220550
40Computer Network Architects$137,670
Bachelor's degree
$102,450 – $205,4201,490
41Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$137,470
Master's degree
$100,350 – $176,4901,930
42Dental Hygienists$137,220
Associate's degree
$86,120 – $155,840320
43Software Developers$136,880
Bachelor's degree
$85,140 – $197,0006,120
44Nurse Practitioners$135,880
Master's degree
$115,200 – $180,300680
45Physician Assistants$135,140
Master's degree
$84,520 – $213,560470
46Information Security Analysts$135,090
Bachelor's degree
$86,280 – $189,5101,510
47First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$134,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$98,690 – $195,1901,230
48Law Teachers, Postsecondary$134,090
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,600 – $212,620670
49Mechanical Engineers$133,300
Bachelor's degree
$86,820 – $195,190510
50Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$132,620
Bachelor's degree
$78,270 – $185,2201,270

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianDistrict of Columbia	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$223,250	$48,710 – $513,990	490
2	Financial ExaminersBachelor's degree	$198,720	$84,050 – $256,820	470
3	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$197,600	$117,350 – $346,130	7,410
4	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$195,190	$120,580 – $392,750	33,070
5	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$195,190	$126,520 – $286,280	5,690
6	Nuclear EngineersBachelor's degree	$195,190	$128,960 – $207,480	230
7	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$188,880	$130,880 – $349,420	8,930
8	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$185,220	$138,470 – $225,080	1,290
9	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$184,350	$113,300 – $275,000	2,250
10	PsychiatristsDoctoral or professional degree	$183,080	$45,150 – $304,250	310
11	Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing OfficersDoctoral or professional degree	$181,060	$107,050 – $207,480	300
12	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$177,170	$107,400 – $291,740	3,470
13	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$175,720	$134,950 – $221,750	18,570
14	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$175,720	$147,220 – $195,190	1,110
15	Marine Engineers and Naval ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$172,330	$107,030 – $195,190	490
16	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$168,000	$88,590 – $312,070	36,150
17	EconomistsMaster's degree	$167,590	$98,350 – $299,110	3,000
18	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$167,520	$66,810 – $304,510	1,460
19	Economics Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$161,860	$94,510 – $217,850	220
20	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$160,760	$94,220 – $195,190	2,980
21	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$157,600	$98,200 – $196,310	290
22	PhysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	$157,040	$86,820 – $202,360	480
23	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$157,040	$113,300 – $195,190	400
24	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$156,730	$79,390 – $195,190	1,540
25	Physical Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$156,730	$101,400 – $195,190	790
26	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$156,590	$87,400 – $207,700	17,200
27	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$155,140	$95,860 – $227,270	2,010
28	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$153,400	$64,870 – $196,080	850
29	Political ScientistsMaster's degree	$152,530	$114,920 – $195,190	3,070
30	Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All OtherMaster's degree	$151,990	$101,940 – $195,190	490
31	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$151,920	$101,990 – $195,190	3,560
32	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$150,010	$82,220 – $225,110	790
33	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$149,860	$101,400 – $195,190	280
34	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$144,190	$100,010 – $196,640	330
35	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$143,000	$87,450 – $195,190	330
36	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$141,800	$83,560 – $270,340	1,930
37	Fundraising ManagersBachelor's degree	$141,720	$106,470 – $221,580	800
38	Education Administrators, All OtherBachelor's degree	$140,670	$79,380 – $185,790	740
39	StatisticiansMaster's degree	$140,670	$80,980 – $185,220	550
40	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$137,670	$102,450 – $205,420	1,490
41	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$137,470	$100,350 – $176,490	1,930
42	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$137,220	$86,120 – $155,840	320
43	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$136,880	$85,140 – $197,000	6,120
44	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$135,880	$115,200 – $180,300	680
45	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$135,140	$84,520 – $213,560	470
46	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$135,090	$86,280 – $189,510	1,510
47	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$134,760	$98,690 – $195,190	1,230
48	Law Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$134,090	$82,600 – $212,620	670
49	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$133,300	$86,820 – $195,190	510
50	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$132,620	$78,270 – $185,220	1,270

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in District of Columbia. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

More for District of Columbia

Metro areas in District of Columbia

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria

By field in District of Columbia

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in District of Columbia to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in District of Columbia

More for District of Columbia

Metro areas in District of Columbia

By field in District of Columbia

Without a degree

By state