Washington DC pays about 46% above the United States average — here’s what that means
Washington DC, DC lists 75 careers with observed metro percentiles in USD. Pay index 1.46 (46% above national); COL 100 vs a US baseline of 100.
Radiologist leads this Washington DC table at $680,000 a year, with Surgeon at $590,000 and Psychiatrist at $394,000. The midpoint of the listed set is Network Engineer at $153,000 — a better “typical covered career here” than row #1 alone. Top-of-list mix: 5 healthcare, 3 technology, and 1 legal.
Population in the dataset is about 689,545. Larger labour markets usually support wider industry mix; smaller ones can look “high paying” on one clinical or tech title and thin everywhere else. Many top cash roles in the United States still run through employer sponsorship and specialty licensing.
United States shows about 2.9% CPI in 2024. Open a role’s Washington DC salary page for p10–p90, take-home, and rent models — this hub is the directory. Missing careers may still have a national United States page even when this metro lacks observed percentiles.
Reading pay and COL together in Washington DC
Use pay index (1.46) for wage level vs United States, and COL (100) for prices. High on both is not the same as high real leftover.
Figures are observed metro medians where listed, in USD, gross. They are market estimates — not a promise from any one employer.
What tops the Washington DC cash list
Radiologist: Radiologists interpret medical images to diagnose and guide treatment of disease. Observed median here: $680,000. That lead reflects how this metro prices the occupation, not a recommendation to retrain tomorrow.