Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area
Highest-Paying Occupations in Washington Metro
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area
Figures describe the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan statistical area as defined by BLS/OMB — the whole multi-county metro region, not Washington city limits. Occupations are ranked by published median annual wage; occupations where BLS suppressed the annual median or publishes only hourly wages are not ranked (6 such occupations here).
Top 25 of 707 occupations
| # | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Radiologists | $443,020 | $212.99 | Not published |
| 2 | Anesthesiologists | $397,210 | $190.97 | 200 |
| 3 | Dermatologists | $329,990 | $158.65 | Not published |
| 4 | Cardiologists | $253,610 | $121.93 | Not published |
| 5 | Orthodontists | $248,110 | $119.29 | Not published |
| 6 | Psychiatrists | $246,990 | $118.75 | 550 |
| 7 | Emergency Medicine Physicians | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more | 770 |
| 8 | Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more | Not published |
| 9 | Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more | Not published |
| 10 | Physicians, Pathologists | $237,190 | $114.04 | 90 |
| 11 | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $226,640 | $108.96 | Not published |
| 12 | Family Medicine Physicians | $225,140 | $108.24 | 1,470 |
| 13 | Surgeons, All Other | $224,860 | $108.11 | 340 |
| 14 | General Internal Medicine Physicians | $223,250 | $107.33 | 1,370 |
| 15 | Nurse Anesthetists | $223,150 | $107.29 | 440 |
| 16 | Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $209,750 | Not published | 5,100 |
| 17 | Physicians, All Other | $208,710 | $100.34 | 10,650 |
| 18 | Dentists, All Other Specialists | $207,450 | $99.74 | Not published |
| 19 | Public Relations Managers | $195,190 | $93.84 | 9,470 |
| 20 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $195,190 | $93.84 | 20,800 |
| 21 | Lawyers | $195,190 | $93.84 | 46,840 |
| 22 | Financial Managers | $185,270 | $89.07 | 26,430 |
| 23 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $185,220 | $89.05 | 5,500 |
| 24 | Dentists, General | $184,540 | $88.72 | 3,040 |
| 25 | Marketing Managers | $181,260 | $87.14 | 8,900 |
The full list of every published occupation here is on the Washington metro area overview.
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.