Insights / Highest-paying healthcare jobs / Washington
5 highest-paying healthcare jobs in Washington
Washington should treat physician assistant pay of about $164.4K as the Washington wage to clear.
Washington assistants stand 21% above the national median, and Washington's country wage is about $135.9K.
Washington's assistant stretch reaches about $177.9K at the 75th percentile, which Washington finalists already hear.
Washington nurses still belong at about $124.2K, 27% above the national median, inside Washington hospitals.
Each occupation
1Physician Assistants
- State median
- $164,360
- 75th percentile
- $177,930
- U.S. median
- $135,880
- State vs U.S.
- 1.21
2Pharmacists
- State median
- $160,610
- 75th percentile
- $179,480
- U.S. median
- $140,910
- State vs U.S.
- 1.14
3Nurse Practitioners
- State median
- $156,100
- 75th percentile
- $169,500
- U.S. median
- $132,300
- State vs U.S.
- 1.18
4Dental Hygienists
- State median
- $131,160
- 75th percentile
- $134,670
- U.S. median
- $98,100
- State vs U.S.
- 1.34
5Registered Nurses
- State median
- $124,200
- 75th percentile
- $134,240
- U.S. median
- $97,550
- State vs U.S.
- 1.27
Ranked table
Swipe the table sideways. The same figures are in the blocks above.
| Rank | Occupation | State median | 75th percentile | U.S. median | State vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physician Assistants | $164,360 | $177,930 | $135,880 | 1.21 |
| 2 | Pharmacists | $160,610 | $179,480 | $140,910 | 1.14 |
| 3 | Nurse Practitioners | $156,100 | $169,500 | $132,300 | 1.18 |
| 4 | Dental Hygienists | $131,160 | $134,670 | $98,100 | 1.34 |
| 5 | Registered Nurses | $124,200 | $134,240 | $97,550 | 1.27 |
Takeaways
- Washington pharmacists earn about $160.6K, so Washington should not end the talk there.
- Washington practitioners reach about $156.1K, and Washington should keep that row in the packet.
- Washington hygienists run 34% above the national median, a Washington gap wider than neighboring rows.
- Washington nurse stretch pay is about $134.2K, so Washington should not quote only the middle.
For recruiters
- Washington recruiters should lead with assistants and the Washington median before other rows.
- Washington panels should name stretch pay before Washington sends an assistant letter out.
- Set the Washington wage in the Hiring Pack.
FAQ
- Are these posted wages or open jobs?
- No. The table is a government survey or a designation file.
- What should a recruiter do first?
- Follow the recruiter note on this page.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Related hiring pages
Methodology
Rows are the 5 occupations on the 25-occupation hiring list with the highest Washington OEWS median, limited to occupations that also publish a 75th percentile. OEWS May 2025. A comparison of 1.00 matches the U.S. median. Sorted by the leading median, Washington is 5 of 51. A row links to the Washington metro page with the highest public market difficulty score for that occupation when one is published, and otherwise to the occupation page on the hiring grid. An unpublished percentile or employment count is shown as unpublished rather than replaced with a zero. The wages are annual OEWS figures. They are not job listings and they are not an employer's current offer. Read the comparison beside the dollar figures: a high state wage can still sit under the national median for that occupation, and a lower state wage can still sit above it. Rounded figures in the prose: $164,360 is stated as about $164.4K. a comparison of 1.21 is stated as 21 percent. $135,880 is stated as about $135.9K. $177,930 is stated as about $177.9K. $124,200 is stated as about $124.2K. a comparison of 1.27 is stated as 27 percent. Rounded figures in the prose: $160,610 is stated as about $160.6K. $156,100 is stated as about $156.1K. a comparison of 1.34 is stated as 34 percent. $134,240 is stated as about $134.2K.
Sources
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