SOC 11-9161 · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro

Emergency Management Directors Salary in Washington, DC

The average salary for emergency management directors in Washington, Washington, D.C. is $155,300 a year ($74.66 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $163,220: half of the 310 people in this job in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 52% more than the U.S. average for this job ($102,420).

$155,300average per year

$74.66 / hourMedian $163,220Take-home ≈ $107,182

  • $90K10th
  • $115K25th
  • $163KMedian
  • $195K75th
  • $195K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

310people in this job
+52%vs U.S. average
109cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Emergency Management Directors pay range in Washington

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $89,990 a year or less, while the top 10% make $195,190 or more. The middle half of emergency management directors in Washington earn between $114,520 and $195,190.

  • $90K10th
  • $115K25th
  • $163KMedian
  • $195K75th
  • $195K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$155,300$12,942$74.66
Median$163,220$13,602$78.47
Entry level (25th percentile)$114,520$9,543$55.06
Experienced (75th percentile)$195,190$16,266$93.84

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Emergency Management Directors pay in Washington vs. Washington, D.C. and the U.S.

Emergency management directors in Washington earn 6% less than the Washington, D.C. average ($165,390) and 52% more than the U.S. average ($102,420). At the median the gap is +75% against the U.S. median of $93,330.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Washington$155,300$163,220$89,990$195,190310
Washington, D.C.$165,390$184,350$89,990$195,190150
United States$102,420$93,330$54,210$166,43013,500

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Emergency Management Directors salary after taxes in Washington

On the average salary of $155,300, a single filer in Washington takes home about $107,182 a year, or $8,932 a month and $4,122 every two weeks. Taxes take 31% of gross pay.

The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in WV$111,190$9,266
Working in MD$110,046$9,171
Working in VA$109,298$9,108
Working in DC$107,182$8,932

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).

Washington, D.C. paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Washington a good place for emergency management directors? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Washington area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.9), so the average $155,300 buys what about $142,629 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Washington ($71,060). A typical home costs $583,013, or 3.8 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $155,300 is worth in another city

Emergency Management Directors salary in nearby metro areas

Highest-paying cities for emergency management directors

San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($189,540).

Emergency Management Directors salary by city

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Reviewed before it counts. Emergency Management Directors in Washington, DC.

Emergency Management Directors salary in Washington: questions

How much do emergency management directors make an hour in Washington?

$74.66 an hour on average, and $78.47 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level emergency management directors salary in Washington?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $89,990 a year and the 25th percentile is $114,520, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the emergency management directors take-home pay in Washington?

About $107,182 a year ($8,932 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $155,300.

Do emergency management directors earn more in Washington than elsewhere?

The average here is 52% more than the U.S. average for this job ($102,420).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 11-9161; area Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (47900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.6%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.12, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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