Salaries & Cost of Living in Washington, District of Columbia
The epicenter of federal policy, defense tech, and cloud computing (Northern Virginia Data Center Alley) with highly resilient high wages. Discover salary benchmarks, wage percentiles, state income tax deductions, and housing costs across 20+ high-demand professions in Washington, DC.
Washington, DC Cost of Living by Expense Category
Normalized cost index (100 = U.S. National Average).
Key City Advantages & Living Factors
Climate: Humid Subtropical (4 Seasons)Role Salaries in Washington, DC
Explore 10th to 90th percentile salary benchmarks and estimated monthly take-home pay in Washington, DC.
| Job Title | Category | Median Base Pay | Est. Net Take-Home | View Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Product Manager | Product | $233,100/yr | ~$14,472/mo | View |
| Senior Software Engineer | Engineering | $220,500/yr | ~$13,689/mo | View |
| Product Manager | Product | $178,920/yr | ~$11,108/mo | View |
| DevOps & Cloud Engineer | Engineering | $176,400/yr | ~$10,952/mo | View |
| Data Scientist | Data | $173,880/yr | ~$10,795/mo | View |
| Backend Engineer | Engineering | $170,100/yr | ~$10,560/mo | View |
| Software Engineer | Engineering | $166,320/yr | ~$10,326/mo | View |
| Frontend Engineer | Engineering | $156,240/yr | ~$9,700/mo | View |
| Product Designer | Design | $153,720/yr | ~$9,543/mo | View |
| Growth Marketer | Marketing | $144,900/yr | ~$8,996/mo | View |
| UX / UI Designer | Design | $141,120/yr | ~$8,761/mo | View |
| Marketing Manager | Marketing | $136,080/yr | ~$8,448/mo | View |
| Account Executive (SaaS) | Sales | $132,300/yr | ~$8,214/mo | View |
| QA & Test Automation Engineer | Engineering | $128,520/yr | ~$7,979/mo | View |
| Financial Analyst | Finance | $120,960/yr | ~$7,510/mo | View |
| Technical Recruiter | Human Resources | $118,440/yr | ~$7,353/mo | View |
| Data Analyst | Data | $115,920/yr | ~$7,197/mo | View |
| Customer Success Manager | Customer Support | $112,140/yr | ~$6,962/mo | View |
| SEO Specialist | Marketing | $107,100/yr | ~$6,649/mo | View |
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Frequently Asked Questions: Living & Working in Washington, DC
What is considered a good salary in Washington, DC?
In Washington, DC, an annual salary between $90,000 and $140,000 is generally considered very comfortable for a single professional, easily covering median 1-bedroom rental costs ($2,350/mo) while allowing significant savings.
How do salaries in Washington, DC compare to the U.S. national average?
On average, compensation in Washington, DC is 26% above the U.S. national baseline across technology, product, and engineering roles.
What are state income taxes in Washington, DC (DC)?
The estimated statutory state and local income tax rate in Washington, DC is approximately 6.5%.
What is the average rent in Washington, DC?
The median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Washington, District of Columbia is currently around $2,350 per month.
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