Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other Salary
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others earn $99,540 at the median, or about $47.86 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $141K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $91,422 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 35.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $100K 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 engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others
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What this looks like in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria sits well above the national pay line for engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other, local pay runs about 27% higher than the U.S. median of $78K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 37% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $107K | $103K |
| Lexington Park | $106K | $105K |
| Richmond | $78K | $80K |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg | $58K | $61K |
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 engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $100K. Top earners bring in $141K or more, a $97K spread from bottom to top.
Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | $107K | +37% | 810 |
| New Mexico | $102K | +30% | 1,390 |
| Maryland | $100K | +28% | 2,630 |
| Washington | $100K | +27% | 2,310 |
| Virginia | $98K | +26% | 3,720 |
| Rhode Island | $95K | +21% | 380 |
| Nevada | $94K | +20% | 590 |
| Hawaii | $90K | +15% | 410 |
| Alaska | $90K | +15% | 380 |
| Indiana | $89K | +13% | 480 |
| New Jersey | $87K | +12% | 880 |
| Oklahoma | $81K | +4% | 870 |
| West Virginia | $81K | +4% | 450 |
| Minnesota | $81K | +4% | 670 |
| North Dakota | $81K | +3% | 100 |
| South Carolina | $81K | +3% | 620 |
| California | $80K | +3% | 7,330 |
| Illinois | $80K | +2% | 940 |
| Wyoming | $79K | +1% | 130 |
| Utah | $79K | +1% | 920 |
| Mississippi | $79K | +1% | 350 |
| Ohio | $78K | -1% | 1,340 |
| Oregon | $77K | -2% | 1,010 |
| New Hampshire | $77K | -2% | 340 |
| Colorado | $76K | -3% | 1,260 |
| Delaware | $76K | -3% | N/A |
| Wisconsin | $75K | -4% | 480 |
| Connecticut | $75K | -4% | 1,300 |
| Alabama | $75K | -5% | 690 |
| Michigan | $74K | -6% | 1,130 |
| Texas | $74K | -6% | 7,110 |
| Missouri | $72K | -8% | 590 |
| North Carolina | $72K | -8% | 1,530 |
| Florida | $71K | -10% | 2,820 |
| Pennsylvania | $69K | -12% | 1,610 |
| Georgia | $68K | -13% | 1,890 |
| Arkansas | $68K | -13% | 230 |
| Massachusetts | $67K | -14% | 990 |
| Nebraska | $67K | -14% | 260 |
| Idaho | $66K | -16% | 260 |
| Montana | $66K | -16% | 210 |
| Kentucky | $66K | -16% | 380 |
| New York | $66K | -16% | 2,000 |
| Iowa | $63K | -19% | 380 |
| Kansas | $62K | -21% | 920 |
| Arizona | $60K | -24% | 990 |
| Louisiana | $59K | -25% | 2,110 |
| Tennessee | $59K | -25% | 990 |
| Vermont | $53K | -33% | 130 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $100K, rent takes 37% 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 $1,800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,635/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 85% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other a high-paying job in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Local pay is 27% above the national median — $100K here vs. $78K 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 engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $100K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s +27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $99,540 a year, that works out to about $48 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,910, and experienced engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others can clear $140,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $100K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,066/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 37% 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 engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other 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 engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other salary is worth about $91,422 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others 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.