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Washington — sector wage premiums across 22 occupational sectors

Which sectors in Washington pay above the national average?

As of May 2025 BLS OEWS data, Washington pays +33.1% above the national average for Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations (state median: $44,590 vs national approx. $33,497). Across 22 sectors, Washington's highest-premium sector is Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations. Re-dated annually from BLS OEWS.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — Major Group Rollups·As of May 2025 state estimates (major-group rollup) · updated annually (BLS OEWS) · last refreshed

Gera US Sector Pay Premium Index

Washington's top sector premium: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations at GUPPI +33.1% (national avg: $33,497).

How this is calculated
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations +33.1%

Washington — GUPPI across all occupational sectors (BLS OEWS May 2025)

#SectorState medianNational avgGUPPI
1Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations$44,590$33,497+33.1%
2Personal Care and Service Occupations$47,150$35,534+32.7%
3Healthcare Support Occupations$48,400$37,607+28.7%
4Management Occupations$159,990$126,800+26.2%
5Construction and Extraction Occupations$75,500$60,202+25.4%
6Sales and Related Occupations$47,510$39,171+21.3%
7Computer and Mathematical Occupations$136,830$113,425+20.6%
8Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations$108,780$90,805+19.8%
9Protective Service Occupations$62,090$51,939+19.5%
10Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations$45,760$38,525+18.8%
11Office and Administrative Support Occupations$56,660$47,910+18.3%
12Production Occupations$55,380$46,816+18.3%
13Community and Social Service Occupations$67,650$57,575+17.5%
14Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations$69,090$59,120+16.9%
15Transportation and Material Moving Occupations$50,500$43,676+15.6%
16Business and Financial Operations Occupations$98,030$85,690+14.4%
17Architecture and Engineering Occupations$112,400$100,184+12.2%
18Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations$94,160$85,407+10.2%
19Educational Instruction and Library Occupations$66,420$61,160+8.6%
20Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations$40,330$37,695+7.0%
21Legal Occupations$107,090$106,531+0.5%
22Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations$64,850$64,550+0.5%

Benchmark your salary against the sector median in Washington

Enter your annual salary to see how you compare to the BLS OEWS May 2025 sector median for Washington.

Sector GUPPI for Washington: +33.1%State median: $44,590 · National avg: $33,497

Frequently asked questions

Which sector pays the most premium in Washington?
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations has the highest sector GUPPI in Washington: +33.1% (BLS OEWS May 2025 median $44,590/yr vs national $33,497/yr).
Which sector pays below average in Washington?
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations has the lowest sector GUPPI in Washington: +0.5% (BLS OEWS May 2025 median $64,850/yr vs national $64,550/yr).
How does Washington compare to other states for sector pay?
Washington (WA) has 22 sectors paying above the national employment-weighted average and 0 sectors below. Use the Gera Sector Pay Premium Index to browse all 22 sectors for any state.

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Data source

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — Major Group Rollups · May 2025 state estimates (major-group rollup) · Public domain (U.S. federal government work)

GUPPI computed by GeraJobs. Last updated: 2026-06-20. Full methodology · ← All sectors

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