Electrical Engineers pay range in Washington
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $84,820 a year or less, while the top 10% make $195,190 or more. The middle half of electrical engineers in Washington earn between $98,550 and $165,690.
- $85K10th
- $99K25th
- $126KMedian
- $166K75th
- $195K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $134,230 | $11,186 | $64.53 |
| Median | $126,420 | $10,535 | $60.78 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $98,550 | $8,212 | $47.38 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $165,690 | $13,808 | $79.66 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Electrical Engineers salary after taxes in Washington
On the average salary of $134,230, a single filer in Washington takes home about $94,571 a year, or $7,881 a month and $3,637 every two weeks. Taxes take 30% of gross pay.
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in WV | $97,754 | $8,146 |
| Working in MD | $96,756 | $8,063 |
| Working in VA | $96,108 | $8,009 |
| Working in DC | $94,571 | $7,881 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Washington a good place for electrical engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Washington area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.9), so the average $134,230 buys what about $123,278 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Washington ($71,060). A typical home costs $583,013, or 4.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Electrical Engineers salary in nearby metro areas
- Hagerstown, MD$115,980
- Baltimore, MD$128,180
- Lexington Park, MD$129,910
- Chambersburg, PA$116,340
- Charlottesville, VA$129,920
- York, PA$117,920
Highest-paying cities for electrical engineers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($189,370).
- San Jose, CA$189,370
- San Francisco, CA$162,170
- Albuquerque, NM$158,230
- Austin, TX$157,930
- Manchester, NH$149,130
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Electrical Engineers salary in Washington: questions
How much do electrical engineers make an hour in Washington?
$64.53 an hour on average, and $60.78 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level electrical engineers salary in Washington?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $84,820 a year and the 25th percentile is $98,550, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the electrical engineers take-home pay in Washington?
About $94,571 a year ($7,881 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $134,230.
Do electrical engineers earn more in Washington than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($125,905).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-2071; area Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (47900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.4%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.11, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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