Salary by metro
MBA-Relevant Salaries in Washington DC
What the roles MBAs target actually pay in the Washington DC metro area — source-labeled BLS wage benchmarks, adjusted for what it costs to live there.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2024 estimates (published April 2025)), Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV; cost-of-living from U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (MARPP) (2024). Occupational wage benchmarks across all workers, not MBA-specific outcomes.
- Roles benchmarked
- 19
- MBA-relevant occupations
- Median wage span
- $87,160–$195,190
- across roles
- Highest median
- $195,190
- Computer and Information Systems Managers
- Cost of living
- 108.9
- price level (U.S. = 100)
What MBA-relevant roles pay in Washington DC
Median wage and cost-of-living-adjusted value for each occupation. Open a role for its full percentile range and metro ranking.
| Role (occupation) | Median annual | Cost-of-living adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Systems Managers SOC 11-3021 | $195,190 | $179,264 |
| Financial Managers SOC 11-3031 | $185,270 | $170,154 |
| Marketing Managers SOC 11-2021 | $181,260 | $166,471 |
| Human Resources Managers SOC 11-3121 | $177,960 | $163,440 |
| Sales Managers SOC 11-2022 | $175,820 | $161,475 |
| General and Operations Managers SOC 11-1021 | $156,460 | $143,694 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers SOC 11-9111 | $140,670 | $129,193 |
| Industrial Production Managers SOC 11-3051 | $137,860 | $126,612 |
| Data Scientists SOC 15-2051 | $132,200 | $121,414 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers SOC 11-3071 | $129,050 | $118,521 |
| Operations Research Analysts SOC 15-2031 | $127,600 | $117,189 |
| Project Management Specialists SOC 13-1082 | $127,030 | $116,665 |
| Management Analysts SOC 13-1111 | $126,830 | $116,482 |
| Budget Analysts SOC 13-2031 | $125,050 | $114,847 |
| Financial and Investment Analysts SOC 13-2051 | $108,330 | $99,491 |
| Personal Financial Advisors SOC 13-2052 | $106,230 | $97,563 |
| Logisticians SOC 13-1081 | $104,330 | $95,818 |
| Accountants and Auditors SOC 13-2011 | $102,140 | $93,806 |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists SOC 13-1161 | $87,160 | $80,048 |
Compare other metros
Cost of living and Washington DC pay
Nominal wages in the Washington DC area reflect its industry mix and cost of living. A higher headline number in an expensive metro does not automatically mean a better financial outcome — housing and everyday costs claim more of it. Each role page shows the cost-of-living-adjusted figure so you can compare purchasing power, not just headline pay.
Frequently asked questions
What do MBA-relevant roles pay in Washington DC?
Across the 19 MBA-relevant occupations benchmarked for the Washington DC metro area, median annual wages span roughly $87,160 to $195,190. These are BLS OEWS occupational wage benchmarks across all workers, not MBA-graduate-specific outcomes. The highest-median role here is Computer and Information Systems Managers at $195,190.
Is Washington DC an expensive place to earn these salaries?
The Washington DC area overall price level is 108.9 against a U.S. average of 100 — above average, so nominal wages there buy less than the headline suggests. Each role page shows the cost-of-living-adjusted figure.
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Every figure on SalaryMBA is source-labeled. See our methodology for how we source and gate data.