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Highest Paying Jobs In Washington, DC For 2026

By Chris Kolmar
Mar. 20, 2024
Last Modified and Fact Checked on:

Highest Paying Jobs in Washington, DC for 2026

As of 2026, Washington, DC continues to offer lucrative career opportunities across various sectors, including healthcare, technology, and finance. If you are seeking a high-paying career in the Washington area, this updated list will guide you in identifying the most rewarding professions available today.

In this article, we explore the 25 highest-paying jobs in Washington for 2026, utilizing the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). While many of these high-paying positions require extensive experience, there are also promising entry-level roles for candidates with the appropriate educational qualifications.

The highest-paying job in Washington remains the President/Chief Executive Officer, boasting an average annual salary of $352,548 and an entry-level salary starting at $192,000.

This guide to the highest-paying jobs and top industries in Washington serves as a valuable resource for those considering a career transition, contemplating relocation to Washington, or recent graduates planning their future.

Here’s a brief overview of the top 10 highest-paying jobs in Washington, District of Columbia:

  1. President/Chief Executive Officer – $352,548

  2. Anesthesiologist – $340,154

  3. Hematologist – $288,655

  4. Executive Vice President – $274,795

  5. Radiologist – $266,845

  6. Cardiac Surgeon – $258,260

  7. Rheumatologist – $254,334

  8. Finance Services Director – $254,071

  9. Cardiologist – $249,707

  10. Vice President/Managing Director – $246,772

Detailed List of Highest Paying Jobs in Washington

Rank Job Title Average Salary Entry Level Salary
1 President/Chief Executive Officer $352,548 $192,000
2 Anesthesiologist $340,154 $164,000
3 Hematologist $288,655 $139,000
4 Executive Vice President $274,795 $151,000
5 Radiologist $266,845 $131,000
6 Cardiac Surgeon $258,260 $143,000
7 Rheumatologist $254,334 $121,000
8 Finance Services Director $254,071 $184,000
9 Cardiologist $249,707 $131,000
10 Vice President/Managing Director $246,772 $156,000
11 Hospitalist Physician $240,613 $168,000
12 Operator And Truck Driver $237,405 $122,000
13 Consultant And Sales Representative $221,604 $157,000
14 Assistant Secretary $219,032 $85,000
15 Psychiatrist $216,090 $137,000
16 Chief Executive Officer $214,895 $119,000
17 Hospitalist $211,253 $142,000
18 Neurologist $210,743 $121,000
19 Physician $210,590 $113,000
20 Physician-Internist $206,470 $106,000
21 Gastroenterologist $205,786 $127,000
22 Chief Administrative Officer $205,719 $124,000
23 Senior Vice President-Operations $204,941 $121,000
24 Internist $202,635 $110,000
25 Optometrist $202,475 $110,000

How We Determined the Highest Paid Jobs in Washington for 2026

To identify the highest-paying jobs in Washington, we analyzed the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and other reliable sources.

The Zippia data science team supplements this data by continuously scanning millions of job postings daily to extract published salary information. We match these salaries to companies, locations, and job titles within other datasets.

Ultimately, we calculate a weighted average from these inputs to produce an estimated salary for each job title in Washington.

In total, our team examined salary data from over 1,000 job titles in Washington to pinpoint the highest-paying opportunities.

Editor’s Note: Article updated for 2026. This marks our eighth annual ranking of the highest-paying jobs in Washington.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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