Federal employee salaries in District of Columbia
Full-time federal civilian employees with a published duty station in District of Columbia earned a median of
$158,306 in September 2026, 44% above the all-federal median of $109,641.
That ranks #1 of 51 (50 states and DC) by median pay.
Median pay
$158,306
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$125,845–$187,093
25th–75th percentile
Employees
95,736
with published duty station
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026 District of Columbia
$93,994 10th $125,845 25th $158,306 Median $187,093 75th $197,200 90th
Time period September 2026 snapshot (as of September 30, 2026; published November 4, 2026)
Population Federal civilian employees whose duty station is published as District of Columbia
Geography District of Columbia (official worksite). Employees whose location OPM withheld are not included. Pay definition Annualized adjusted basic pay: base pay plus locality or special-rate supplement, after pay caps. Excludes bonuses, overtime, allowances and benefits. More Coverage
OPM published pay for 94,249 of 95,736 employees (98.4%).
Pay figures use the 92,714 full-time employees with published pay. Coverage details OPM withheld the duty-station location for 943,611 federal employees nationwide, including the entire Department of Defense civilian workforce and large parts of the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice. Those employees are not counted in any state, so state totals understate the federal presence, especially in states with large military installations.
Pay by occupation in District of Columbia The 30 largest occupations in District of Columbia with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay (166 qualify in total).
Federal pay by occupation in District of Columbia Occupation Employees Median pay Middle 50% $0 $50K $100K $150K $200K $250K $300K Management and Program Analysis Series 0343 12,782 $150,203 $129,904–$172,700 Miscellaneous Administration and Program Series 0301 12,264 $153,509 $116,071–$187,093 General Attorney Series 0905 11,512 $197,200 $169,279–$197,200 Information Technology Management Series 2210 8,109 $167,902 $146,143–$187,093 Program Management Series 0340 2,794 $197,200 $180,492–$215,208 Human Resources Management Series 0201 2,665 $154,263 $129,728–$182,295 General Business and Industry Series 1101 1,998 $158,322 $133,964–$187,093 Foreign Affairs Series 0130 1,984 $154,263 $133,964–$180,998 Security Administration Series 0080 1,951 $138,024 $119,485–$158,322 Contracting Series 1102 1,755 $163,104 $133,964–$187,093 Financial Administration and Program Series 0501 1,616 $158,306 $126,313–$187,093 Budget Analysis Series 0560 1,581 $158,322 $133,964–$186,207 Accounting Series 0510 1,386 $167,902 $142,084–$197,200 Economist Series 0110 1,362 $182,295 $146,143–$197,200 Social Science Series 0101 1,314 $133,142 $121,785–$158,306 General Engineering Series 0801 1,229 $180,565 $154,263–$197,200 General Arts and Information Series 1001 947 $133,142 $119,485–$154,263 Nurse Series 0610 907 $129,752 $117,196–$151,149 Auditing Series 0511 884 $154,263 $138,024–$182,295 Emergency Management Specialist Series 0089 853 $142,084 $122,899–$163,104 Paralegal Specialist Series 0950 846 $108,238 $91,145–$125,845 General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences Series 0401 817 $158,306 $133,964–$186,207 Public Affairs Series 1035 765 $154,263 $133,142–$176,853 Miscellaneous Clerk and Assistant Series 0303 726 $72,464 $61,586–$83,119 General Physical Science Series 1301 710 $163,104 $133,964–$191,850 Grants Management Series 1109 586 $146,143 $126,313–$167,902 Administrative Officer Series 0341 569 $146,143 $119,485–$172,700 Environmental Protection Specialist Series 0028 550 $157,702 $133,964–$177,497 Air Traffic Control Series 2152 527 $48,251 $48,251–$48,251 Government Information Specialist Series 0306 508 $142,084 $121,785–$163,104
Pay by agency in District of Columbia Federal pay by agency in District of Columbia Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50% $50K $100K $150K $200K $250K $300K Department of Justice 13,081 $158,306 $129,728–$187,093 Department of Homeland Security 12,951 $153,509 $127,903–$177,497 Department of State 7,153 $150,203 $129,904–$177,497 Department of Veterans Affairs 6,230 $139,169 $105,829–$172,700 Department of Transportation 5,929 $168,156 $133,142–$197,200 Department of the Treasury 5,491 $166,827 $133,142–$197,200 Department of Energy 3,397 $172,700 $142,084–$197,200 Department of Health and Human Services 3,299 $158,306 $133,964–$186,207 Environmental Protection Agency 3,258 $154,263 $133,964–$187,093 Smithsonian Institution 3,211 $93,994 $70,311–$133,142 Department of Agriculture 2,729 $154,263 $125,845–$186,207 Department of Commerce 2,135 $163,104 $129,904–$187,093 General Services Administration 2,099 $154,263 $125,845–$180,565 Securities and Exchange Commission 1,984 $257,986 $207,749–$280,156 Department of Labor 1,908 $158,322 $133,142–$187,093 Department of the Interior 1,791 $133,964 $91,815–$175,000 Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation 1,644 $223,964 $181,104–$257,500 Government Publishing Office 1,246 $112,489 $100,948–$142,084 Department of Education 1,214 $163,104 $133,964–$187,093 Federal Communications Commission 1,023 $191,850 $154,263–$197,200 Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia 904 $129,728 $109,243–$143,913 Office of Personnel Management 788 $143,913 $110,165–$172,700 Federal Trade Commission 761 $197,200 $158,322–$197,200 Social Security Administration 721 $131,523 $88,296–$157,295 National Aeronautics and Space Administration 682 $191,850 $158,322–$197,200
Change since September 2025 The median moved +1.0% from $156,737 in September 2025 to $158,306 in September 2026. Headcount went from 114,290 to 95,736 (−16.2%). A change in the median reflects both pay adjustments and who joined or left the workforce, so it is not the same as a pay raise.
States with similar median federal pay All states ranked →