Emergency Management Directors Salary
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, emergency management directors earn $163,220 at the median, or about $78.47 an hour. The range runs from $90K at the entry level to $195K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $149,908 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,246/month, or 23.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $163K 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 emergency management directors
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What this looks like in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria sits well above the national pay line for emergency management directors, local pay runs about 75% higher than the U.S. median of $93K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $2,246/month, 24.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. Combined with manageable housing costs, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria offers a genuinely strong financial position for emergency management directorss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for emergency management directors in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $93K | $95K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $105K | $101K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $98K | $100K |
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 emergency management directors (10th percentile) start around $90K. Mid-career wages sit at $163K. Top earners bring in $195K or more, a $105K spread from bottom to top.
Emergency Management Directors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Emergency Management Directors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $184K | +98% | 150 |
| New Mexico | $146K | +56% | 170 |
| Washington | $131K | +40% | 180 |
| California | $130K | +39% | 1,170 |
| Colorado | $130K | +39% | N/A |
| Massachusetts | $123K | +32% | 220 |
| New Jersey | $121K | +30% | 490 |
| Connecticut | $113K | +21% | 180 |
| Oregon | $111K | +19% | 120 |
| Maryland | $107K | +15% | 150 |
| Minnesota | $107K | +15% | 190 |
| Nevada | $106K | +13% | 60 |
| Alaska | $102K | +9% | 120 |
| Virginia | $100K | +7% | 450 |
| Idaho | $100K | +7% | 80 |
| Florida | $99K | +6% | 720 |
| Louisiana | $97K | +3% | 180 |
| Ohio | $95K | +1% | 250 |
| North Carolina | $94K | +1% | 420 |
| South Carolina | $94K | +0% | 330 |
| Texas | $94K | +0% | 1,210 |
| New York | $93K | -1% | 790 |
| Nebraska | $90K | -4% | 120 |
| Michigan | $88K | -6% | 220 |
| Rhode Island | $88K | -6% | 30 |
| Utah | $85K | -9% | 170 |
| Maine | $84K | -10% | 80 |
| Illinois | $84K | -10% | 450 |
| Georgia | $83K | -11% | 430 |
| Arizona | $82K | -12% | 160 |
| Tennessee | $82K | -12% | 370 |
| Pennsylvania | $82K | -13% | 520 |
| New Hampshire | $77K | -17% | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $77K | -17% | 240 |
| North Dakota | $77K | -18% | 80 |
| Missouri | $76K | -19% | 310 |
| Kentucky | $75K | -20% | 150 |
| Hawaii | $74K | -20% | 90 |
| Iowa | $74K | -21% | 130 |
| Kansas | $68K | -27% | 140 |
| South Dakota | $67K | -28% | 120 |
| Wyoming | $64K | -31% | 50 |
| Montana | $63K | -33% | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $61K | -35% | 310 |
| West Virginia | $60K | -35% | 120 |
| Arkansas | $50K | -46% | 160 |
| Mississippi | $49K | -48% | 230 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track emergency management directors 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 emergency management director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Yes — at the median salary of $163K, rent takes 24.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for emergency management directors in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new emergency management directors typically earn — is $90K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,399/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 42% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is emergency management director a high-paying job in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Local pay is 75% above the national median — $163K here vs. $93K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 9% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for emergency management directors?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $163K median vs. the U.S. average of $93K — that’s +75%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $150K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do emergency management directors make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $163,220 a year, that works out to about $78 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $89,990, and experienced emergency management directors can clear $195,190. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $163K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,273/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 24.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a emergency management directors 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 emergency management directors salary is worth about $149,908 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do emergency management directors 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.