Petekub // Shutterstock
1 / 50#48. Economists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $157,980
- Median hourly wage: $75.95
- Total employment: 4,300 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Washington, D.C.
Despite recession fears and falling consumer confidence, the job market in the United States has remained relatively stable in 2025 thus far. According to May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, around 177,000 new jobs were added in April, a slight decrease from the 185,000 new jobs added in the month before, but an extension of the country's 52-month streak of job growth. Unemployment rates also held relatively steady between April 2024 and April 2025, coming in at around 4%.
Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean Americans have it easy in the workplace. A December 2024 Payscale report found that nearly half (47%) of business organizations struggle to balance fair pay practices with spend optimization, and 18% plan to reduce pay increases in 2025 as a result.
For context, median weekly earnings across all employees in the U.S. stood at $1,194 in the first quarter of 2025. This represents an increase of 4.8% from a year prior and exceeds the Consumer Price Index's 2.7% increase in the same time period. However, there's one caveat: Earnings go much further in some places than in others.
In fact, the very definition of a "high-paying" job varies by location, as well as other factors such as industry and benefits. Even a six-figure salary may be considered low-income in places with an unusually high cost of living. Meanwhile, technology, finance, and health care jobs lead in terms of salary, but benefits like remote work can make other lower-paying jobs more desirable.
Regardless, anyone seeking a high-paying job should start by looking at the numbers. Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Washington, D.C.. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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abriendomundo // Shutterstock
2 / 50#48. Astronomers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $157,980
- Median hourly wage: $75.95
- Total employment: 440 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Aerospace engineers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $157,980
- Median hourly wage: $75.95
- Total employment: 2,750 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mark_Kostich // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Medical dosimetrists
- Median annual wage: $159,420
- Median hourly wage: $76.65
- Total employment: 100 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kardasov Films // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Marine engineers and naval architects
- Median annual wage: $160,100
- Median hourly wage: $76.97
- Total employment: 640 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kenishirotie //Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Mathematicians
- Median annual wage: $160,510
- Median hourly wage: $77.17
- Total employment: 220 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Legal support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $161,780
- Median hourly wage: $77.78
- Total employment: 6,650 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
8 / 50#41. Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $162,610
- Median hourly wage: $78.18
- Total employment: 6,330 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#41. Physical scientists, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $162,610
- Median hourly wage: $78.18
- Total employment: 2,720 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Engineers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $162,610
- Median hourly wage: $78.18
- Total employment: 7,950 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $163,190
- Median hourly wage: $78.46
- Total employment: Not available
Kzenon // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $163,320
- Median hourly wage: $78.52
- Total employment: 720 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $163,570
- Median hourly wage: $78.64
- Total employment: 8,910 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $164,650
- Median hourly wage: $79.16
- Total employment: 6,250 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
15 / 50#35. Purchasing managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $167,270
- Median hourly wage: $80.42
- Total employment: 4,320 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Managers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $167,270
- Median hourly wage: $80.42
- Total employment: 42,870 people (13.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Physicists
- Median annual wage: $168,280
- Median hourly wage: $80.90
- Total employment: 1,940 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $168,770
- Median hourly wage: $81.14
- Total employment: 7,360 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $171,300
- Median hourly wage: $82.36
- Total employment: 490 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $172,970
- Median hourly wage: $83.16
- Total employment: 6,570 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Burben // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Air traffic controllers
- Median annual wage: $176,110
- Median hourly wage: $84.67
- Total employment: 1,690 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $176,240
- Median hourly wage: $84.73
- Total employment: 9,480 people (3.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $176,800
- Median hourly wage: $85.00
- Total employment: 3,110 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $177,690
- Median hourly wage: $85.43
- Total employment: 25,520 people (8.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $180,360
- Median hourly wage: $86.71
- Total employment: 5,520 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pressmaster // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $185,760
- Median hourly wage: $89.31
- Total employment: 11,140 people (3.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $186,990
- Median hourly wage: $89.90
- Total employment: 840 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $188,120
- Median hourly wage: $90.44
- Total employment: 6,710 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Lobanov // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Nuclear engineers
- Median annual wage: $189,770
- Median hourly wage: $91.24
- Total employment: 300 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
30 / 50#19. Computer and information systems managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $191,880
- Median hourly wage: $92.25
- Total employment: 20,770 people (6.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
31 / 50#19. Lawyers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $191,880
- Median hourly wage: $92.25
- Total employment: 48,170 people (15.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $191,880
- Median hourly wage: $92.25
- Total employment: 11,170 people (3.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Dentists, all other specialists
- Median annual wage: $199,990
- Median hourly wage: $96.15
- Total employment: 150 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Ophthalmologists, except pediatric
- Median annual wage: $218,490
- Median hourly wage: $105.04
- Total employment: 230 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Psychiatrists
- Median annual wage: $219,970
- Median hourly wage: $105.76
- Total employment: 570 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BlurryMe // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. General internal medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $223,030
- Median hourly wage: $107.22
- Total employment: 1,740 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $224,330
- Median hourly wage: $107.85
- Total employment: 1,900 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $225,340
- Median hourly wage: $108.34
- Total employment: 390 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
39 / 50#1. Orthodontists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 210 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
40 / 50#1. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 4,500 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
41 / 50#1. Dermatologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 250 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Komsan Loonprom // Shutterstock
42 / 50#1. Cardiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#1. Anesthesiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 300 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
44 / 50#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 340 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. Chief executives (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 4,590 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Photoroyalty // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. Surgeons, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 250 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Djols // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Emergency medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 1,060 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Radiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 270 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Physicians, pathologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 130 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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