Washington state residents are among the highest hourly earners in the United States, according to the latest data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its total private average hourly earnings by state, along with the average weekly earnings and the average number of hours Americans work per week as of June 2025.
Here’s the average hourly salary for Washington state, along with its comparison to other states:
What is the average hourly pay in Washington state?
On average, residents in the Evergreen State earn $42.26 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This figure is not seasonally adjusted.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics also noted that the average worker in Washington state works 35.1 hours per week, which translates to a weekly salary of $1,483.33 and a yearly salary of $77,133.16.
Washington state’s average hourly pay is the highest among the 50 states. Only Washington, D.C., has a higher average hourly wage.
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Where do people earn the most per hour?
Employees in the nation’s capital of Washington, D.C., earn the most money with an average hourly pay of $54.21 per hour.
Out of all 50 states, here are the places with the highest average hourly pay:
Washington: $42.26
Massachusetts: $42.00
California: $41.22
Colorado: $39.19
Minnesota: $39.17
New York: $39.14
Connecticut: $38.98
New Jersey: $37.87
Hawaii: $37.62
Alaska: $37.49
How does Washington state’s average hourly pay compare to other states in the Pacific Northwest area?
Washington: $42.26
Oregon: $36.83
Idaho: $34.07
Montana: $32.09
Washington state’s unemployment rate remains stable as its economy adds jobs
The unemployment rate in Washington state in June 2025 held steady at 4.5%, according to the Washington State Employment Security Department. The seasonally adjusted rate in May 2025 was 4.5%.
Washington state’s economy is estimated to have increased by 10,900 jobs, according to a department press release.
“Job growth in June was the strongest we’ve seen since January 2025,” Anneliese Vance-Sherman, chief labor economist at the Employment Security Department, said in the release. “Employment was boosted by gains in several sectors, including leisure and hospitality, government and information.”
The national unemployment rate in June 2025 was 4.1%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Contributing: USA TODAY Network
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Washington state’s average hourly earnings rank among highest in US
