Washington Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across Washington.
The average salary in Washington is $133,861 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2025 data aggregated across 2 metropolitan areas (Seattle, Spokane). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $343,140 median; 53 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 123, the average median equates to $108,830 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Washington has 2 metropolitan areas in our BLS OEWS coverage. Wages within the state vary substantially by metro — large coastal cities typically pay materially more than smaller inland ones, though the cost-of-living gap closes a lot of the apparent difference. BLS OEWS data captures every metropolitan statistical area (MSA) above a population threshold. Cities below that threshold roll up to non-metropolitan areas, which are not represented in the per-metro view but are captured in state-level rollups.
For workers comparing Washington job markets, the per-metro pages give the role-specific breakdown that headline state averages obscure. The role-specific ranking pages — which list the highest-paying cities for a single occupation — are particularly useful when geographic flexibility is real and the role is the constraint.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Washington
Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Healthcare · 150 jobs in state · top metro: Seattle ($343,140)
Family Medicine Physician
Healthcare · 840 jobs in state · top metro: Seattle ($306,190)
Computer and Information Systems Manager
Technology · 13,730 jobs in state · top metro: Seattle ($214,680)
Software Quality Assurance Analyst
Technology · 1,620 jobs in state · top metro: Seattle ($211,270)
Financial Manager
Finance · 9,230 jobs in state · top metro: Seattle ($185,550)
Sales Manager
Management · 7,150 jobs in state · top metro: Seattle ($184,320)
Marketing Manager
Management · 7,080 jobs in state · top metro: Seattle ($175,850)
Computer Network Architect
Technology · 3,830 jobs in state · top metro: Seattle ($172,650)
Human Resources Manager
Management · 3,450 jobs in state · top metro: Seattle ($171,360)
Dentist
Healthcare · 2,200 jobs in state · top metro: Spokane ($205,790)
Cities in Washington
Seattle, WA
64 occupations tracked · COL index: 149.4
Spokane, WA
60 occupations tracked · COL index: 97.4
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in Washington is $133,861 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release aggregated across 2 BLS-tracked metros. The figure is employment-weighted, so larger occupations contribute proportionally more to the average. The top-paying role in the state is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $343,140 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in Washington, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Obstetrician/Gynecologist ($343,140), Family Medicine Physician ($306,190), Computer and Information Systems Manager ($212,976), Software Quality Assurance Analyst ($211,270), Financial Manager ($183,492). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/washington.
53 of the 65 BLS-tracked occupations in Washington have a state-aggregated median salary of $100,000 or higher. That places this state in the upper tier nationally.
Seattle, WA leads Washington with an average median salary of $135,684 across 64 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across Washington's tracked metros is 123 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $133,861 translates to $108,830 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. COL is roughly in line with the national average.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in Washington, using the OEWS 2025 reference period.
124 data points · BLS OEWS 2025 · last refreshed 2026-05-21
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.