Washington has no state income tax — saving workers $2,000–$6,000/year vs high-tax states. The highest paying profession in Washington is Surgeon at $422,650/year. Select any profession below for a full city, experience and take-home pay breakdown.
The table below shows median annual salaries for 50+ professions in Washington, ranked from highest to lowest. All figures are sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2024 release, refreshed for 2026. Click any profession for a full breakdown including city-level data, experience levels and a take-home pay calculator.
| Profession | Category | Annual Median | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | Healthcare | $422,650 | $203.20 |
| Pilot | Transport | $239,550 | $115.17 |
| Software Developer | Technology | $158,700 | $76.30 |
| Physician Assistant | Healthcare | $156,000 | $75.00 |
| Nurse Practitioner | Healthcare | $148,800 | $71.54 |
| Financial Advisor | Finance | $119,500 | $57.45 |
| Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $117,250 | $56.37 |
| Occupational Therapist | Healthcare | $115,700 | $55.62 |
| Network Administrator | Technology | $111,350 | $53.53 |
| Dental Hygienist | Healthcare | $97,700 | $46.97 |
| Accountant | Finance | $95,850 | $46.08 |
| Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $93,100 | $44.76 |
| Respiratory Therapist | Healthcare | $83,650 | $40.22 |
| Police Officer | Public Safety | $83,000 | $39.90 |
| Radiologic Technologist | Healthcare | $82,700 | $39.76 |
| Plumber | Trades | $76,250 | $36.66 |
| School Counselor | Education | $76,100 | $36.59 |
| Teacher | Education | $74,200 | $35.67 |
| Electrician | Trades | $73,900 | $35.53 |
| Librarian | Education | $73,450 | $35.31 |
| Court Reporter | Legal | $73,250 | $35.22 |
| Paralegal | Legal | $71,050 | $34.16 |
| HVAC Technician | Trades | $68,750 | $33.05 |
| Real Estate Agent | Business | $67,950 | $32.67 |
| Firefighter | Public Safety | $67,550 | $32.48 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | Trades | $67,500 | $32.45 |
| Truck Driver | Transport | $65,200 | $31.35 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | Healthcare | $65,050 | $31.27 |
| Carpenter | Trades | $64,150 | $30.84 |
| Correctional Officer | Public Safety | $63,450 | $30.50 |
| Social Worker | Social Services | $62,100 | $29.86 |
| Mason | Trades | $60,500 | $29.09 |
| Roofer | Trades | $60,050 | $28.87 |
| Paramedic | Public Safety | $59,850 | $28.77 |
| Solar Installer | Trades | $57,450 | $27.62 |
| Bookkeeper | Business | $56,750 | $27.28 |
| Welder | Trades | $56,400 | $27.12 |
| Dispatcher | Transport | $56,250 | $27.04 |
| Painter | Trades | $56,200 | $27.02 |
| Bus Driver | Transport | $54,900 | $26.39 |
| Delivery Driver | Transport | $51,350 | $24.69 |
| Dental Assistant | Healthcare | $51,350 | $24.69 |
| Medical Assistant | Healthcare | $48,850 | $23.49 |
| Pharmacy Technician | Healthcare | $48,350 | $23.25 |
| EMT | Public Safety | $46,600 | $22.40 |
| Veterinary Technician | Healthcare | $46,600 | $22.40 |
| Cosmetologist | Personal Services | $40,100 | $19.28 |
| Teaching Assistant | Education | $37,750 | $18.15 |