Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

Each occupation's median wage in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Legal Support Workers, All Other$169,690
Associate's degree
$76,140 – $195,190+135.3%
2Health Education Specialists$124,590
Bachelor's degree
$66,050 – $170,980+94.5%
3Artists and Related Workers, All Other$125,050
No formal educational credential
$84,590 – $152,730+75.5%
4Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other$64,600
No formal educational credential
$36,140 – $72,200+73.7%
5Detectives and Criminal Investigators$156,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$90,310 – $195,190+67.1%
6Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other$107,650
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,060 – $170,980+63.6%
7News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$101,020
Bachelor's degree
$56,340 – $214,280+62.4%
8Chemists$144,680
Bachelor's degree
$82,780 – $195,190+58.6%
9Interpreters and Translators$94,510
Bachelor's degree
$56,920 – $136,150+57.1%
10Financial Specialists, All Other$120,580
Bachelor's degree
$63,300 – $185,220+48.7%
11Teachers and Instructors, All Other$97,920
Bachelor's degree
$46,780 – $142,260+48.0%
12Real Estate Sales Agents$78,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,030 – $123,770+47.9%
13General and Operations Managers$156,460
Bachelor's degree
$67,600 – $291,420+47.9%
14Web Developers$134,350
Bachelor's degree
$84,580 – $184,050+45.0%
15Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other$166,230
Master's degree
$111,530 – $195,190+44.3%
16Operations Research Analysts$127,600
Bachelor's degree
$69,910 – $194,900+43.5%
17Writers and Authors$108,460
Bachelor's degree
$69,090 – $171,410+41.0%
18Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$95,480
Master's degree
$62,290 – $126,660+39.9%
19Bartenders$48,030
No formal educational credential
$34,480 – $91,510+39.9%
20Physical Scientists, All Other$170,980
Bachelor's degree
$95,870 – $263,580+39.5%
21Education Administrators, All Other$132,400
Bachelor's degree
$67,190 – $179,090+39.1%
22Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$77,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,920 – $121,210+39.0%
23Protective Service Workers, All Other$58,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,800 – $166,390+38.2%
24Credit Analysts$114,700
Bachelor's degree
$64,200 – $177,220+37.3%
25Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$138,250
Bachelor's degree
$84,590 – $195,190+36.7%
26Budget Analysts$125,050
Bachelor's degree
$82,060 – $161,030+36.5%
27Public Relations Specialists$101,680
Bachelor's degree
$61,520 – $195,990+36.0%
28Instructional Coordinators$105,220
Master's degree
$53,980 – $156,430+35.9%
29Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$58,330
Bachelor's degree
$52,930 – $75,980+35.9%
30Graphic Designers$85,420
Bachelor's degree
$48,580 – $131,810+35.7%
31Buyers and Purchasing Agents$104,880
Bachelor's degree
$59,760 – $162,890+35.0%
32Public Relations Managers$195,190
Bachelor's degree
$117,350 – $340,440+32.9%
33Human Resources Specialists$100,830
Bachelor's degree
$60,940 – $158,940+32.8%
34Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$92,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,790 – $173,820+32.5%
35Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$108,160
Bachelor's degree
$68,450 – $184,350+31.5%
36First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$73,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,010 – $104,250+31.4%
37Waiters and Waitresses$46,040
No formal educational credential
$31,880 – $81,060+30.7%
38Microbiologists$114,800
Bachelor's degree
$61,070 – $195,190+30.5%
39Computer Programmers$130,390
Bachelor's degree
$67,010 – $184,660+29.9%
40Paralegals and Legal Assistants$81,590
Associate's degree
$57,160 – $126,020+29.7%
41Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$78,210
Master's degree
$56,810 – $119,720+29.7%
42Business Teachers, Postsecondary$128,370
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,830 – $265,940+29.6%
43Statisticians$136,660
Master's degree
$97,160 – $178,400+29.4%
44Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$80,600
Associate's degree
$47,840 – $134,750+29.4%
45Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$95,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,510 – $103,230+28.6%
46Library Technicians$57,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,410 – $77,880+28.5%
47Audio and Video Technicians$74,380
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,950 – $120,690+28.0%
48Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$99,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,190 – $164,090+27.8%
49Self-Enrichment Teachers$59,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,380 – $105,540+27.7%
50Loan Officers$97,800
Bachelor's degree
$46,790 – $169,540+27.5%

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	vs. national
1	Legal Support Workers, All OtherAssociate's degree	$169,690	$76,140 – $195,190	+135.3%
2	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$124,590	$66,050 – $170,980	+94.5%
3	Artists and Related Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$125,050	$84,590 – $152,730	+75.5%
4	Motor Vehicle Operators, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$64,600	$36,140 – $72,200	+73.7%
5	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$156,750	$90,310 – $195,190	+67.1%
6	Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$107,650	$43,060 – $170,980	+63.6%
7	News Analysts, Reporters, and JournalistsBachelor's degree	$101,020	$56,340 – $214,280	+62.4%
8	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$144,680	$82,780 – $195,190	+58.6%
9	Interpreters and TranslatorsBachelor's degree	$94,510	$56,920 – $136,150	+57.1%
10	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$120,580	$63,300 – $185,220	+48.7%
11	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$97,920	$46,780 – $142,260	+48.0%
12	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,160	$38,030 – $123,770	+47.9%
13	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$156,460	$67,600 – $291,420	+47.9%
14	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$134,350	$84,580 – $184,050	+45.0%
15	Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All OtherMaster's degree	$166,230	$111,530 – $195,190	+44.3%
16	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$127,600	$69,910 – $194,900	+43.5%
17	Writers and AuthorsBachelor's degree	$108,460	$69,090 – $171,410	+41.0%
18	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$95,480	$62,290 – $126,660	+39.9%
19	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$48,030	$34,480 – $91,510	+39.9%
20	Physical Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$170,980	$95,870 – $263,580	+39.5%
21	Education Administrators, All OtherBachelor's degree	$132,400	$67,190 – $179,090	+39.1%
22	Legal Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,220	$52,920 – $121,210	+39.0%
23	Protective Service Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,780	$30,800 – $166,390	+38.2%
24	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$114,700	$64,200 – $177,220	+37.3%
25	Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$138,250	$84,590 – $195,190	+36.7%
26	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$125,050	$82,060 – $161,030	+36.5%
27	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$101,680	$61,520 – $195,990	+36.0%
28	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$105,220	$53,980 – $156,430	+35.9%
29	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$58,330	$52,930 – $75,980	+35.9%
30	Graphic DesignersBachelor's degree	$85,420	$48,580 – $131,810	+35.7%
31	Buyers and Purchasing AgentsBachelor's degree	$104,880	$59,760 – $162,890	+35.0%
32	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$195,190	$117,350 – $340,440	+32.9%
33	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$100,830	$60,940 – $158,940	+32.8%
34	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,750	$59,790 – $173,820	+32.5%
35	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$108,160	$68,450 – $184,350	+31.5%
36	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,490	$46,010 – $104,250	+31.4%
37	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$46,040	$31,880 – $81,060	+30.7%
38	MicrobiologistsBachelor's degree	$114,800	$61,070 – $195,190	+30.5%
39	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$130,390	$67,010 – $184,660	+29.9%
40	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$81,590	$57,160 – $126,020	+29.7%
41	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$78,210	$56,810 – $119,720	+29.7%
42	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$128,370	$50,830 – $265,940	+29.6%
43	StatisticiansMaster's degree	$136,660	$97,160 – $178,400	+29.4%
44	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$80,600	$47,840 – $134,750	+29.4%
45	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,560	$50,510 – $103,230	+28.6%
46	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$57,290	$40,410 – $77,880	+28.5%
47	Audio and Video TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,380	$45,950 – $120,690	+28.0%
48	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$99,240	$50,190 – $164,090	+27.8%
49	Self-Enrichment TeachersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,760	$35,380 – $105,540	+27.7%
50	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$97,800	$46,790 – $169,540	+27.5%

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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

More for Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

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

Without a degree

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