Electrical Engineers Salary
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, electrical engineers earn $126,420 at the median, or about $60.78 an hour. The range runs from $85K at the entry level to $195K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $116,109 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 30.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $126K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About electrical engineers
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What this looks like in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Electrical engineers pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria tracks closely to the national median, $126K locally vs. $121K nationwide, a 5% difference. Rent runs $2,246/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for electrical engineers in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $117K | $112K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $103K | $105K |
| Richmond | $117K | $119K |
| Lexington Park | $129K | $128K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level electrical engineers (10th percentile) start around $85K. Mid-career wages sit at $126K. Top earners bring in $195K or more, a $110K spread from bottom to top.
Electrical Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Electrical Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $159K | +31% | 2,560 |
| California | $144K | +19% | 24,230 |
| District of Columbia | $143K | +19% | 330 |
| New Hampshire | $136K | +13% | 1,600 |
| Washington | $133K | +10% | 7,610 |
| Texas | $129K | +7% | 20,870 |
| Idaho | $129K | +7% | 1,000 |
| Massachusetts | $128K | +6% | 5,040 |
| Delaware | $127K | +5% | 660 |
| Alaska | $126K | +4% | 350 |
| Alabama | $126K | +4% | 4,600 |
| New Jersey | $125K | +4% | 2,940 |
| Oregon | $125K | +4% | 2,540 |
| Maryland | $125K | +4% | 4,650 |
| Louisiana | $124K | +3% | 990 |
| Colorado | $121K | +0% | 4,200 |
| Virginia | $119K | -1% | 7,260 |
| New York | $119K | -1% | 8,770 |
| Missouri | $119K | -2% | 2,410 |
| Maine | $115K | -5% | 1,150 |
| West Virginia | $113K | -6% | 500 |
| Wyoming | $112K | -7% | 280 |
| Vermont | $111K | -8% | 820 |
| Pennsylvania | $111K | -8% | 6,970 |
| North Dakota | $111K | -8% | 260 |
| North Carolina | $110K | -9% | 7,090 |
| Minnesota | $110K | -9% | 3,150 |
| Illinois | $108K | -11% | 5,460 |
| Oklahoma | $108K | -11% | 2,080 |
| Nevada | $107K | -11% | 1,100 |
| Nebraska | $107K | -11% | 1,060 |
| Hawaii | $106K | -12% | 1,080 |
| Michigan | $106K | -12% | 10,840 |
| Iowa | $106K | -12% | 1,280 |
| Utah | $106K | -12% | 1,680 |
| Mississippi | $105K | -13% | 1,130 |
| Florida | $105K | -13% | 9,220 |
| Tennessee | $104K | -13% | 2,830 |
| Connecticut | $104K | -14% | 2,930 |
| Indiana | $103K | -15% | 4,000 |
| Kansas | $103K | -15% | 2,100 |
| Ohio | $101K | -17% | 6,360 |
| Arizona | $101K | -17% | 5,370 |
| Wisconsin | $100K | -17% | 3,550 |
| South Dakota | $99K | -18% | 530 |
| Kentucky | $99K | -18% | 1,540 |
| South Carolina | $98K | -18% | 3,490 |
| Arkansas | $97K | -20% | 900 |
| Montana | $87K | -28% | 790 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track electrical engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a electrical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $126K, rent takes 30.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for electrical engineers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electrical engineers typically earn — is $85K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,089/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 44% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is electrical engineer a high-paying job in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $126K locally vs. $121K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for electrical engineers?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $126K median vs. the U.S. average of $121K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $116K — below the national median.
How much do electrical engineers make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $126,420 a year, that works out to about $61 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $84,820, and experienced electrical engineers can clear $195,190. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $126K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,438/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 30.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a electrical engineers salary go in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median electrical engineers salary is worth about $116,109 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do electrical engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.