High paying jobs in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV run 8.9% above the national average (2024), so a Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV salary is worth about 0.92× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

OccupationMedian, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV · Employed

1Family Medicine Physicians$225,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$125,150 – $329,2001,470
2General Internal Medicine Physicians$223,250
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,580 – $423,6101,370
3Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$209,750
Bachelor's degree
$94,790 – $358,4805,100
4Physicians, All Other$208,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,430 – $402,90010,650
5Lawyers$195,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$106,520 – $382,89046,840
6Computer and Information Systems Managers$195,190
Bachelor's degree
$133,100 – $295,96020,800
7Public Relations Managers$195,190
Bachelor's degree
$117,350 – $340,4409,470
8Financial Managers$185,270
Bachelor's degree
$122,670 – $327,47026,430
9Architectural and Engineering Managers$185,220
Bachelor's degree
$138,180 – $259,6805,500
10Dentists, General$184,540
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,610 – $324,3703,040
11Marketing Managers$181,260
Bachelor's degree
$106,860 – $296,5008,900
12Human Resources Managers$177,960
Bachelor's degree
$111,720 – $282,3306,280
13Sales Managers$175,820
Bachelor's degree
$83,560 – $306,7008,780
14Air Traffic Controllers$174,870
Associate's degree
$47,760 – $225,6801,800
15Purchasing Managers$172,150
Bachelor's degree
$132,890 – $217,7904,180
16Physicists$171,580
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,950 – $225,6801,520
17Managers, All Other$170,980
Bachelor's degree
$128,610 – $221,23042,010
18Physical Scientists, All Other$170,980
Bachelor's degree
$95,870 – $263,5802,740
19Legal Support Workers, All Other$169,690
Associate's degree
$76,140 – $195,1906,430
20Natural Sciences Managers$169,060
Bachelor's degree
$123,920 – $232,3405,890
21Aerospace Engineers$166,420
Bachelor's degree
$104,030 – $249,9902,420
22Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other$166,230
Master's degree
$111,530 – $195,1905,970
23Database Architects$162,870
Bachelor's degree
$107,070 – $216,3704,740
24Computer and Information Research Scientists$161,090
Master's degree
$103,440 – $223,8003,420
25Computer Network Architects$159,820
Bachelor's degree
$102,110 – $216,5609,370
26Computer Hardware Engineers$159,480
Bachelor's degree
$95,780 – $221,0901,790
27Detectives and Criminal Investigators$156,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$90,310 – $195,1904,830
28Economists$156,750
Master's degree
$93,440 – $259,2904,570
29Political Scientists$156,730
Master's degree
$118,290 – $195,1903,700
30General and Operations Managers$156,460
Bachelor's degree
$67,600 – $291,420112,530
31Software Developers$154,930
Bachelor's degree
$96,450 – $213,66069,060
32Veterinarians$154,350
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,360 – $271,7701,740
33Sales Engineers$153,410
Bachelor's degree
$102,490 – $188,6201,010
34Engineers, All Other$151,340
Bachelor's degree
$83,700 – $195,1909,230
35Pharmacists$150,540
Doctoral or professional degree
$121,420 – $179,2305,260
36Information Security Analysts$148,950
Bachelor's degree
$96,550 – $209,29016,560
37Physician Assistants$148,200
Master's degree
$108,030 – $213,7503,020
38Chemists$144,680
Bachelor's degree
$82,780 – $195,1902,490
39Training and Development Managers$143,640
Bachelor's degree
$95,870 – $238,5901,080
40Fundraising Managers$141,720
Bachelor's degree
$101,280 – $224,0601,470
41Medical and Health Services Managers$140,670
Bachelor's degree
$98,220 – $242,48011,730
42Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$140,000
Bachelor's degree
$96,190 – $195,1902,690
43Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$138,250
Bachelor's degree
$84,590 – $195,1906,220
44Industrial Production Managers$137,860
Bachelor's degree
$92,560 – $223,5101,290
45Statisticians$136,660
Master's degree
$97,160 – $178,4003,220
46Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$135,670
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,310 – $306,3902,560
47Nurse Practitioners$134,840
Master's degree
$101,340 – $175,4404,050
48Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$134,490
Master's degree
$92,620 – $176,9307,510
49Web Developers$134,350
Bachelor's degree
$84,580 – $184,0503,840
50Education Administrators, All Other$132,400
Bachelor's degree
$67,190 – $179,0902,600

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

#	Occupation	MedianWashington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$225,140	$125,150 – $329,200	1,470
2	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$223,250	$60,580 – $423,610	1,370
3	Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersBachelor's degree	$209,750	$94,790 – $358,480	5,100
4	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$208,710	$77,430 – $402,900	10,650
5	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$195,190	$106,520 – $382,890	46,840
6	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$195,190	$133,100 – $295,960	20,800
7	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$195,190	$117,350 – $340,440	9,470
8	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$185,270	$122,670 – $327,470	26,430
9	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$185,220	$138,180 – $259,680	5,500
10	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$184,540	$105,610 – $324,370	3,040
11	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$181,260	$106,860 – $296,500	8,900
12	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$177,960	$111,720 – $282,330	6,280
13	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$175,820	$83,560 – $306,700	8,780
14	Air Traffic ControllersAssociate's degree	$174,870	$47,760 – $225,680	1,800
15	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$172,150	$132,890 – $217,790	4,180
16	PhysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	$171,580	$98,950 – $225,680	1,520
17	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$170,980	$128,610 – $221,230	42,010
18	Physical Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$170,980	$95,870 – $263,580	2,740
19	Legal Support Workers, All OtherAssociate's degree	$169,690	$76,140 – $195,190	6,430
20	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$169,060	$123,920 – $232,340	5,890
21	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$166,420	$104,030 – $249,990	2,420
22	Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All OtherMaster's degree	$166,230	$111,530 – $195,190	5,970
23	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$162,870	$107,070 – $216,370	4,740
24	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$161,090	$103,440 – $223,800	3,420
25	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$159,820	$102,110 – $216,560	9,370
26	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$159,480	$95,780 – $221,090	1,790
27	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$156,750	$90,310 – $195,190	4,830
28	EconomistsMaster's degree	$156,750	$93,440 – $259,290	4,570
29	Political ScientistsMaster's degree	$156,730	$118,290 – $195,190	3,700
30	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$156,460	$67,600 – $291,420	112,530
31	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$154,930	$96,450 – $213,660	69,060
32	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$154,350	$79,360 – $271,770	1,740
33	Sales EngineersBachelor's degree	$153,410	$102,490 – $188,620	1,010
34	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$151,340	$83,700 – $195,190	9,230
35	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$150,540	$121,420 – $179,230	5,260
36	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$148,950	$96,550 – $209,290	16,560
37	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$148,200	$108,030 – $213,750	3,020
38	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$144,680	$82,780 – $195,190	2,490
39	Training and Development ManagersBachelor's degree	$143,640	$95,870 – $238,590	1,080
40	Fundraising ManagersBachelor's degree	$141,720	$101,280 – $224,060	1,470
41	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$140,670	$98,220 – $242,480	11,730
42	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$140,000	$96,190 – $195,190	2,690
43	Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$138,250	$84,590 – $195,190	6,220
44	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$137,860	$92,560 – $223,510	1,290
45	StatisticiansMaster's degree	$136,660	$97,160 – $178,400	3,220
46	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$135,670	$62,310 – $306,390	2,560
47	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$134,840	$101,340 – $175,440	4,050
48	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$134,490	$92,620 – $176,930	7,510
49	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$134,350	$84,580 – $184,050	3,840
50	Education Administrators, All OtherBachelor's degree	$132,400	$67,190 – $179,090	2,600

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

By field in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

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