Washington Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across Washington.
The average salary in Washington is $124,736 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2024 data aggregated across 1 metropolitan areas (Seattle). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Software Quality Assurance Analyst at $232,120 median; 36 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 149, the average median equates to $83,715 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Washington
Software Quality Assurance Analyst
Technology · 2,070 jobs in state · top metro: Seattle ($232,120)
Computer and Information Systems Manager
Technology · 13,900 jobs in state · top metro: Seattle ($212,450)
Financial Manager
Finance · 9,460 jobs in state · top metro: Seattle ($180,770)
Human Resources Manager
Management · 3,670 jobs in state · top metro: Seattle ($178,550)
Marketing Manager
Management · 7,200 jobs in state · top metro: Seattle ($173,880)
Sales Manager
Management · 6,950 jobs in state · top metro: Seattle ($172,440)
Software Developer
Technology · 72,730 jobs in state · top metro: Seattle ($169,340)
Computer Network Architect
Technology · 3,370 jobs in state · top metro: Seattle ($166,880)
Pharmacist
Healthcare · 4,850 jobs in state · top metro: Seattle ($165,270)
Physician Assistant
Healthcare · 1,910 jobs in state · top metro: Seattle ($163,460)
Cities in Washington
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in Washington is $124,736 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2024 release aggregated across 1 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 Software Quality Assurance Analyst at $232,120 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in Washington, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Software Quality Assurance Analyst ($232,120), Computer and Information Systems Manager ($212,450), Financial Manager ($180,770), Human Resources Manager ($178,550), Marketing Manager ($173,880). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/washington.
36 of the 52 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 $124,736 across 52 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across Washington's tracked metros is 149 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $124,736 translates to $83,715 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. The high COL absorbs much of the nominal pay premium.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in Washington, using the OEWS 2024 reference period.
52 data points · BLS OEWS 2024 · last refreshed 2026-05-08