Highest-paying jobs in Washington, D.C.
Highest-paying jobs in Washington, D.C.
Stacker collected information on the highest-paying jobs in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by average annual salary with information up to date as of May 2021.
In Washington, the annual mean wage is $80,480 or 38.1% higher than national mean of $58,260, while the highest-paying occupation makes $411,230. Read on to see which jobs make the list.
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#50. Mathematicians
- Annual mean salary: $137,090
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
National
- Annual mean salary: $112,430
- Employment: 1,770
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($137,090)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($129,590)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($123,350)

#49. Economists
- Annual mean salary: $137,320
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,520
National
- Annual mean salary: $120,830
- Employment: 15,640
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($162,870)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($161,320)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($156,360)

#48. Physicists
- Annual mean salary: $137,960
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,930
National
- Annual mean salary: $151,580
- Employment: 20,020
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($199,830)
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($195,300)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($188,250)
#47. Advertising and promotions managers
- Annual mean salary: $138,040
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
National
- Annual mean salary: $142,860
- Employment: 22,520
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($193,980)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($182,520)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($166,620)

#46. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $138,770
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
National
- Annual mean salary: $115,080
- Employment: 42,770
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($185,920)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($184,260)
--- Savannah, GA ($177,450)
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#45. Personal financial advisors
- Annual mean salary: $139,260
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,740
National
- Annual mean salary: $119,960
- Employment: 263,030
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($172,780)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($161,010)
--- East Stroudsburg, PA ($158,790)

#44. Optometrists
- Annual mean salary: $140,020
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
National
- Annual mean salary: $125,440
- Employment: 38,720
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Wilmington, NC ($198,370)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($172,190)
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($169,140)

#43. Medical and health services managers
- Annual mean salary: $140,860
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 9,410
National
- Annual mean salary: $119,840
- Employment: 436,770
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($162,110)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($157,340)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($156,370)

#42. Computer hardware engineers
- Annual mean salary: $140,970
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,230
National
- Annual mean salary: $136,230
- Employment: 73,750
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($185,210)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($183,320)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($161,580)
#41. Computer network architects
- Annual mean salary: $142,040
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 9,330
National
- Annual mean salary: $120,650
- Employment: 168,830
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($177,600)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($152,900)
--- Rapid City, SD ($145,810)
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#40. Industrial production managers
- Annual mean salary: $142,340
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 710
National
- Annual mean salary: $117,780
- Employment: 192,270
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($155,640)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($153,860)
--- Fort Collins, CO ($153,470)

#39. Economics teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $143,710
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
National
- Annual mean salary: $124,090
- Employment: 11,790
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($180,550)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($180,490)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($172,600)
#38. Air traffic controllers
- Annual mean salary: $144,560
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,340
National
- Annual mean salary: $127,920
- Employment: 21,230
- Entry level education requirements: Associate’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($158,210)
--- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX ($154,180)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($153,770)

#37. Training and development managers
- Annual mean salary: $144,600
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 900
National
- Annual mean salary: $128,800
- Employment: 35,830
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($180,360)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($176,270)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($166,410)
#36. Aerospace engineers
- Annual mean salary: $145,140
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,770
National
- Annual mean salary: $122,970
- Employment: 56,640
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA ($166,060)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($149,490)
--- Boulder, CO ($148,990)
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#35. Fundraising managers
- Annual mean salary: $146,820
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,000
National
- Annual mean salary: $119,400
- Employment: 23,190
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($175,610)
--- Syracuse, NY ($155,700)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($153,980)
#34. General and operations managers
- Annual mean salary: $148,580
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 84,050
National
- Annual mean salary: $115,250
- Employment: 2,984,920
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($165,340)
--- Trenton, NJ ($165,030)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($159,210)
#33. Law teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $149,590
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 700
National
- Annual mean salary: $130,820
- Employment: 14,110
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($165,990)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($152,750)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($152,190)
#32. Compensation and benefits managers
- Annual mean salary: $149,620
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
National
- Annual mean salary: $139,470
- Employment: 15,330
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($190,560)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($187,770)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($177,130)

#31. Purchasing managers
- Annual mean salary: $152,040
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,200
National
- Annual mean salary: $134,590
- Employment: 69,310
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($181,030)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($177,010)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($174,760)
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#30. Sales engineers
- Annual mean salary: $152,200
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,170
National
- Annual mean salary: $118,630
- Employment: 59,550
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salisbury, MD-DE ($169,330)
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($158,740)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($158,320)
#29. Natural sciences managers
- Annual mean salary: $158,110
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,570
National
- Annual mean salary: $156,110
- Employment: 74,760
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($222,360)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($219,240)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($216,750)
#28. Architectural and engineering managers
- Annual mean salary: $159,740
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,620
National
- Annual mean salary: $158,970
- Employment: 187,100
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($228,000)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($206,050)
--- Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL ($198,430)

#27. Human resources managers
- Annual mean salary: $160,790
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,620
National
- Annual mean salary: $136,590
- Employment: 166,530
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($190,020)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($186,930)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($175,410)
#26. Podiatrists
- Annual mean salary: $161,090
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $158,380
- Employment: 8,840
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($231,930)
--- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX ($219,920)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($205,040)
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#25. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Annual mean salary: $161,360
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $142,520
- Employment: 27,790
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($225,610)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($208,310)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($200,980)

#24. Sales managers
- Annual mean salary: $163,320
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,220
National
- Annual mean salary: $142,390
- Employment: 453,800
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($198,960)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($196,910)
--- Boulder, CO ($182,820)
#23. Marketing managers
- Annual mean salary: $172,240
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,780
National
- Annual mean salary: $153,440
- Employment: 278,690
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($210,280)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($198,870)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($191,310)

#22. Financial managers
- Annual mean salary: $173,050
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 21,190
National
- Annual mean salary: $153,460
- Employment: 681,070
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($209,100)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($201,330)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($188,900)
#21. Dentists, general
- Annual mean salary: $174,000
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,260
National
- Annual mean salary: $167,160
- Employment: 108,680
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Manchester, NH ($276,510)
--- Salinas, CA ($234,410)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($229,800)
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#20. Computer and information systems managers
- Annual mean salary: $177,460
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 17,620
National
- Annual mean salary: $162,930
- Employment: 485,190
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($228,030)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($211,470)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($202,800)
#19. Public relations managers
- Annual mean salary: $182,890
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 8,310
National
- Annual mean salary: $138,000
- Employment: 59,850
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($183,410)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($182,890)
--- Boulder, CO ($174,250)
#18. Pediatricians, general
- Annual mean salary: $185,400
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
National
- Annual mean salary: $198,420
- Employment: 33,620
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Austin-Round Rock, TX ($298,760)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($298,320)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($291,940)
#17. Lawyers
- Annual mean salary: $186,610
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 44,250
National
- Annual mean salary: $148,030
- Employment: 681,010
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($231,200)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($191,460)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($186,610)
#16. General internal medicine physicians
- Annual mean salary: $207,100
- #105 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,980
National
- Annual mean salary: $242,190
- Employment: 58,260
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Rockford, IL ($359,200)
--- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC ($350,330)
--- Sumter, SC ($334,810)
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#15. Physicians, pathologists
- Annual mean salary: $211,170
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $267,180
- Employment: 11,010
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Lexington-Fayette, KY ($351,450)
--- Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($344,900)
--- Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR ($341,360)

#14. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
- Annual mean salary: $214,320
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,570
National
- Annual mean salary: $198,190
- Employment: 81,310
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($255,250)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($243,380)
--- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL ($242,540)

#13. Psychiatrists
- Annual mean salary: $223,720
- #73 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630
National
- Annual mean salary: $249,760
- Employment: 25,520
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($360,840)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($360,740)
--- Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN ($333,190)
#12. Nurse anesthetists
- Annual mean salary: $237,860
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
National
- Annual mean salary: $202,470
- Employment: 43,950
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Springfield, IL ($298,890)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($283,550)
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($276,810)
#11. Chief executives
- Annual mean salary: $259,960
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 9,100
National
- Annual mean salary: $213,020
- Employment: 200,480
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($313,440)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($298,960)
--- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX ($296,480)
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#10. Family medicine physicians
- Annual mean salary: $270,280
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,580
National
- Annual mean salary: $235,930
- Employment: 102,930
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Coeur d'Alene, ID ($336,820)
--- Fond du Lac, WI ($336,140)
--- Gainesville, GA ($330,930)
#9. Obstetricians and gynecologists
- Annual mean salary: $271,450
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $296,210
- Employment: 21,570
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($377,980)
--- Austin-Round Rock, TX ($375,200)
--- Modesto, CA ($362,780)
#8. Radiologists
- Annual mean salary: $303,720
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
National
- Annual mean salary: $301,720
- Employment: 29,530
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($370,570)
--- Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN ($358,680)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($358,450)
#7. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric
- Annual mean salary: $317,500
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420
National
- Annual mean salary: $306,220
- Employment: 16,260
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($366,650)
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($364,290)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($354,880)
#6. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons
- Annual mean salary: $318,610
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $311,460
- Employment: 5,330
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Memphis, TN-MS-AR ($338,150)
--- Lexington-Fayette, KY ($327,280)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($318,610)
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#5. Ophthalmologists, except pediatric
- Annual mean salary: $325,990
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $270,090
- Employment: 11,610
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($356,830)
--- Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($355,740)
--- York-Hanover, PA ($344,470)
#4. Emergency medicine physicians
- Annual mean salary: $343,850
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,010
National
- Annual mean salary: $310,640
- Employment: 36,180
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($368,310)
--- Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL ($357,650)
--- Richmond, VA ($357,130)
#3. Neurologists
- Annual mean salary: $346,670
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $267,660
- Employment: 7,120
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($350,140)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($348,500)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($346,670)

#2. Orthodontists
- Annual mean salary: $348,850
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
National
- Annual mean salary: $267,280
- Employment: 5,140
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($348,850)
--- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($330,490)
--- St. Louis, MO-IL ($288,640)
#1. Cardiologists
- Annual mean salary: $411,230
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $353,970
- Employment: 18,610
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($411,230)
--- Cleveland-Elyria, OH ($365,880)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($363,270)
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