Question 1

What is the cost of living in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

Accepted Answer

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV's overall price level (BEA Regional Price Parity) is 108.88, where 100 equals the U.S. average. That means everyday goods, services, and housing cost about 8.9% more than the national average. HUD's Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom is $2,246/month.

Question 2

What is the average salary in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

Accepted Answer

Across the 100 BLS-tracked occupation categories with published data in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, the average median wage is $168,450. The single highest-paying occupation here is Radiologists at $443,020/year (BLS OEWS).

Question 3

What are the highest-paying jobs in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?

Accepted Answer

Based on BLS OEWS data, the top-paying occupations in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV are: 1) Radiologists at $443,020; 2) Anesthesiologists at $397,210; 3) Dermatologists at $329,990; 4) Cardiologists at $253,610; 5) Orthodontists at $248,110. Click any occupation above to see the full wage breakdown (10th to 90th percentile).

Question 4

How much does it cost to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a 2-bedroom unit in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is $2,246/month. FMR is the rent level HUD uses to administer housing assistance and reflects the 40th percentile of standard-quality rentals, updated annually.

Question 5

Where does AffordMap's Washington-Arlington-Alexandria data come from?

Accepted Answer

Salary figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Cost of living comes from the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (RPP). Rent comes from HUD Fair Market Rents. All three are federal datasets, updated annually, and free to use. AffordMap pairs them so you can see what a salary actually buys after local costs.

Rank	Occupation	Category	Median salary	Hourly
81	Law Teachers, Postsecondary	Education	$134K	N/A
82	Chemical Engineers	Engineering	$133K	$63.86/hr
83	Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers	Science	$133K	$63.76/hr
84	Education Administrators, All Other	Management	$132K	$63.65/hr
85	Data Scientists	Technology	$132K	$63.56/hr
86	Computer Programmers	Technology	$130K	$62.69/hr
87	Administrative Services Managers	Management	$130K	$62.56/hr
88	Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary	Education	$130K	N/A
89	Psychologists, All Other	Science	$130K	$62.37/hr
90	Construction Managers	Management	$130K	$62.33/hr

Top Paying Jobs in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

Highest paying careers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria

Affordability snapshot: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria