--- title: Jobs in Washington, DC — Federal, Defense & Healthcare description: Find jobs in Washington, DC — the federal government capital with top employers in defense, healthcare, legal, and professional services. See salary data now. type: location_city url: https://www.foundrole.com/locations/district-of-columbia/washington date: 2026-09-28T19:12:12Z og_description: Washington DC is the nation's capital and a top job market for government, defense, legal, and nonprofit careers. Browse top employers and DC salary data. og_image: https://www.foundrole.com/og/g8pxap.png breadcrumbs: - label: Home url: https://www.foundrole.com/ - label: United States url: https://www.foundrole.com/locations - label: District of Columbia url: https://www.foundrole.com/locations/district-of-columbia --- # Jobs in Washington, DC — Federal, Defense & Healthcare **State:** [District of Columbia Jobs Hiring Now | Salary, Industries, Companies](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/district-of-columbia?utm_source=ai_markdown) **Country:** [Top Job Trends By Locations](https://www.foundrole.com/locations?utm_source=ai_markdown) **Open jobs:** 14,462 **Hiring momentum:** -5.8% — 2,108 new postings in the last 28 days vs 2,237 in the 28 days before, on career sites tracked through both periods ## Summary - Postings on employer career sites published Jun 1 – Sep 28, 2026: 21,816 - Median salary: $117K - Salary range (P25–P75): $70K – $162K - Remote share: 8.7% ## Market Insights — September 2026 *Based on 21,816 postings published Jun 1 – Sep 28, 2026 • Updated September 28, 2026* - Pay in Washington, DC runs 67% above the United States median ($117K vs $70K). - Industries with the most postings in Washington, DC: IT Services and Consulting (14% of all postings), followed by Hospitals and Health Care and Retail. - New postings for Washington, DC fell 6% in the last 28 days (2108 vs 2237 in the 28 days before). *Numbers above are computed from postings on employer career sites published in the window shown below, closed ones included. Salary figures use posted ranges where available; the market median is the median of the country the pay is quoted in, as its location page shows it. Confidence reflects sample size and signal stability vs the prior month.* ## Top industries in Washington, DC | Industry | Total jobs | Median salary | |---|---|---| | IT Services & Consulting | 2958 | $135K | | Hospitals & Health Care | 1392 | $93K | | Retail | 1343 | $40K | | Software Development | 1306 | $190K | | Business Consulting & Services | 1278 | $141K | | Hospitality | 985 | $46K | | Defense & Space | 921 | $170K | | Technology, Information & Internet | 626 | $135K | | Non-profit Organizations | 613 | $90K | | Financial Services | 485 | $115K | ## Top roles hiring in Washington, DC | Role | Total jobs | Median salary | |---|---|---| | Software Developer / Engineer | 610 | $170K | | Shift Leader | 568 | $45K | | Barista | 498 | — | | DevOps Engineer | 362 | $160K | | Security Engineer | 312 | $156K | | Retail Sales Associate | 291 | $43K | | Project Manager | 280 | $133K | | Account Executive | 272 | $168K | | Program Manager | 271 | $161K | | Registered Nurse | 266 | $113K | ## Top hiring companies in Washington, DC | Company | Total jobs | |---|---| | [Starbucks Jobs & Careers — Coffee & Retail](https://www.foundrole.com/companies/starbucks?utm_source=ai_markdown) | 847 | | [MedStar Health Jobs & Careers — Regional Health System](https://www.foundrole.com/companies/medstar-health?utm_source=ai_markdown) | 499 | | [UHS Jobs & Careers — Hospitals & Behavioral Health](https://www.foundrole.com/companies/universal-health-services?utm_source=ai_markdown) | 189 | **H1B sponsorship (FY2025 Q4 – FY2026 Q3):** 600 employers filed 1581 petitions; 4% of the employers hiring here now are among them. ## Top visa sponsors in Washington, DC | Company | Workers | Median filed wage | |---|---|---| | DCPS | 107 | $65K | | Georgetown University | 71 | $80K | | World Bank | 65 | $126K | | Children's National Hospital | 43 | $89K | | EY | 32 | $150K | ## Nearby cities hiring | City | Distance | Total jobs | Median salary | |---|---|---|---| | [Jobs in Washington DC — Government, Legal & Nonprofits](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/district-of-columbia/washington-dc?utm_source=ai_markdown) | 0.0 mi | 1279 | $150K | | [Jobs in Dupont Circle, DC — Nonprofit & Policy Hiring](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/district-of-columbia/dupont-circle?utm_source=ai_markdown) | 1.0 mi | 43 | $91K | | [Jobs in Washington Navy Yard, DC — Defense & Federal](https://www.foundrole.com/locations/district-of-columbia/washington-navy-yard?utm_source=ai_markdown) | 2.6 mi | 0 | — | [All H1B sponsors in Washington, DC](https://www.foundrole.com/h1b-sponsors/washington-dc?utm_source=ai_markdown) ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What industries are hiring most in Washington, DC? Federal government, defense contracting, healthcare, legal services, and nonprofits are the dominant hiring sectors. Major agencies, defense contractors, law firms, research hospitals, and advocacy organizations collectively make DC one of the most active job markets in the country. ### What is the typical salary range for jobs in Washington, DC? Washington DC salaries are among the highest in the US, with government, legal, and consulting roles offering strong compensation. Federal pay scales, law firm salaries, and contractor rates push median wages well above national averages. See the salary section for current figures. ### Which organizations hire most in Washington, DC? The federal government (including the DoD, HHS, and other agencies), defense contractors, major law firms, George Washington University Hospital, and large nonprofits are among DC's top employers. The top hiring companies section lists the most active employers. ### Is remote work common for Washington, DC jobs? Remote and hybrid roles are common in consulting, tech, and nonprofit administration in DC. Federal government and defense roles vary significantly — many require security clearances and on-site presence, while others have shifted to hybrid arrangements. ### How can I expand my job search beyond Washington, DC? Use the nearby cities table to explore roles in Arlington and Bethesda. The District of Columbia jobs page covers the full DC market, with links to surrounding Virginia and Maryland employers. ## Related - [Browse all locations](https://www.foundrole.com/locations?utm_source=ai_markdown) - [Search jobs](https://www.foundrole.com/jobs?utm_source=ai_markdown)