High paying jobs in Washington

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Washington. 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 run 7.0% above the national average (2024), so a Washington salary is worth about 0.93× 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 Washington.

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

Find high paying jobs in Washington

OccupationMedian, Washington · Employed

1Anesthesiologists$499,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$239,000 – $646,9401,540
2Chief Executives$339,810
Bachelor's degree
$160,110 – $607,1003,170
3Physicians, All Other$307,170
Doctoral or professional degree
$95,230 – $424,4106,300
4Family Medicine Physicians$292,900
Doctoral or professional degree
$145,640 – $337,8701,270
5Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$229,900
Bachelor's degree
$140,780 – $529,8203,450
6Computer and Information Systems Managers$209,370
Bachelor's degree
$130,010 – $327,30016,960
7Computer and Information Research Scientists$202,400
Master's degree
$95,890 – $281,0502,050
8Architectural and Engineering Managers$189,680
Bachelor's degree
$148,930 – $263,5506,060
9Natural Sciences Managers$182,480
Bachelor's degree
$117,590 – $324,7402,490
10Financial Managers$174,840
Bachelor's degree
$115,250 – $318,45012,930
11Sales Managers$174,000
Bachelor's degree
$104,000 – $291,62010,030
12Marketing Managers$172,270
Bachelor's degree
$98,220 – $293,5908,880
13Dentists, General$169,730
Doctoral or professional degree
$85,240 – $346,8403,240
14Computer Hardware Engineers$169,120
Bachelor's degree
$100,120 – $260,2101,800
15Computer Network Architects$168,070
Bachelor's degree
$93,610 – $224,9104,730
16Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$166,590
Master's degree
$111,830 – $205,5006,470
17Software Developers$166,540
Bachelor's degree
$96,810 – $255,350107,030
18Human Resources Managers$165,530
Bachelor's degree
$108,830 – $271,3804,560
19Physician Assistants$164,360
Master's degree
$125,580 – $218,1503,540
20Managers, All Other$164,160
Bachelor's degree
$100,990 – $272,47010,490
21Data Scientists$163,350
Bachelor's degree
$79,930 – $220,0409,600
22Purchasing Managers$162,730
Bachelor's degree
$112,120 – $220,3501,770
23Pharmacists$160,610
Doctoral or professional degree
$126,230 – $205,2107,350
24Veterinarians$160,510
Doctoral or professional degree
$97,140 – $265,6002,390
25Public Relations Managers$159,440
Bachelor's degree
$104,500 – $255,2801,610
26Aerospace Engineers$158,370
Bachelor's degree
$112,580 – $207,7105,760
27Nurse Practitioners$156,100
Master's degree
$122,420 – $187,2406,700
28Construction Managers$155,070
Bachelor's degree
$105,770 – $217,9206,010
29Information Security Analysts$154,940
Bachelor's degree
$96,730 – $211,7206,030
30Lawyers$154,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$94,260 – $298,21012,770
31Medical and Health Services Managers$145,290
Bachelor's degree
$88,970 – $282,2507,490
32Industrial Production Managers$145,210
Bachelor's degree
$112,970 – $213,9304,760
33Facilities Managers$139,990
Bachelor's degree
$89,200 – $207,1202,790
34Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$137,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,520 – $306,0404,510
35Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$136,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$84,870 – $202,0702,490
36First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$136,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$105,710 – $180,7702,750
37Engineers, All Other$134,570
Bachelor's degree
$81,280 – $196,1203,580
38General and Operations Managers$133,750
Bachelor's degree
$77,680 – $269,32050,630
39Special Effects Artists and Animators$133,480
Bachelor's degree
$65,270 – $209,4001,130
40Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$133,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$80,640 – $147,8102,340
41Electrical Engineers$132,710
Bachelor's degree
$85,540 – $185,6907,610
42Dental Hygienists$131,160
Associate's degree
$107,090 – $162,0506,330
43Administrative Services Managers$130,630
Bachelor's degree
$77,220 – $230,0703,490
44Web and Digital Interface Designers$130,480
Bachelor's degree
$60,580 – $217,29011,580
45Web Developers$130,440
Bachelor's degree
$70,520 – $172,0604,430
46Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$130,270
Bachelor's degree
$81,730 – $208,1301,950
47Nuclear Engineers$129,480
Bachelor's degree
$83,100 – $200,9301,380
48Computer Systems Analysts$129,410
Bachelor's degree
$74,470 – $197,60024,120
49First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$129,350
Postsecondary nondegree award
$79,440 – $160,6303,350
50Industrial Engineers$129,050
Bachelor's degree
$85,010 – $176,7006,130

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

#	Occupation	MedianWashington	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	AnesthesiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$499,990	$239,000 – $646,940	1,540
2	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$339,810	$160,110 – $607,100	3,170
3	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$307,170	$95,230 – $424,410	6,300
4	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$292,900	$145,640 – $337,870	1,270
5	Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersBachelor's degree	$229,900	$140,780 – $529,820	3,450
6	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$209,370	$130,010 – $327,300	16,960
7	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$202,400	$95,890 – $281,050	2,050
8	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$189,680	$148,930 – $263,550	6,060
9	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$182,480	$117,590 – $324,740	2,490
10	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$174,840	$115,250 – $318,450	12,930
11	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$174,000	$104,000 – $291,620	10,030
12	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$172,270	$98,220 – $293,590	8,880
13	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$169,730	$85,240 – $346,840	3,240
14	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$169,120	$100,120 – $260,210	1,800
15	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$168,070	$93,610 – $224,910	4,730
16	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$166,590	$111,830 – $205,500	6,470
17	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$166,540	$96,810 – $255,350	107,030
18	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$165,530	$108,830 – $271,380	4,560
19	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$164,360	$125,580 – $218,150	3,540
20	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$164,160	$100,990 – $272,470	10,490
21	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$163,350	$79,930 – $220,040	9,600
22	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$162,730	$112,120 – $220,350	1,770
23	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$160,610	$126,230 – $205,210	7,350
24	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$160,510	$97,140 – $265,600	2,390
25	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$159,440	$104,500 – $255,280	1,610
26	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$158,370	$112,580 – $207,710	5,760
27	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$156,100	$122,420 – $187,240	6,700
28	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$155,070	$105,770 – $217,920	6,010
29	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$154,940	$96,730 – $211,720	6,030
30	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$154,130	$94,260 – $298,210	12,770
31	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$145,290	$88,970 – $282,250	7,490
32	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$145,210	$112,970 – $213,930	4,760
33	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$139,990	$89,200 – $207,120	2,790
34	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$137,520	$79,520 – $306,040	4,510
35	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$136,500	$84,870 – $202,070	2,490
36	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$136,280	$105,710 – $180,770	2,750
37	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$134,570	$81,280 – $196,120	3,580
38	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$133,750	$77,680 – $269,320	50,630
39	Special Effects Artists and AnimatorsBachelor's degree	$133,480	$65,270 – $209,400	1,130
40	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$133,060	$80,640 – $147,810	2,340
41	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$132,710	$85,540 – $185,690	7,610
42	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$131,160	$107,090 – $162,050	6,330
43	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$130,630	$77,220 – $230,070	3,490
44	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$130,480	$60,580 – $217,290	11,580
45	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$130,440	$70,520 – $172,060	4,430
46	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$130,270	$81,730 – $208,130	1,950
47	Nuclear EngineersBachelor's degree	$129,480	$83,100 – $200,930	1,380
48	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$129,410	$74,470 – $197,600	24,120
49	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$129,350	$79,440 – $160,630	3,350
50	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$129,050	$85,010 – $176,700	6,130

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Washington. 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

Metro areas in Washington

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

By field in Washington

Without a degree

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

High paying jobs in Washington

More for Washington

Metro areas in Washington

By field in Washington

Without a degree

By state