Salaries & Cost of Living in King County, WA

Median pay, take-home pay and what is left after rent, food and energy for 51 occupations in King County, WA.

Jobs listed: 51; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Median of medians: $60,760; per year, before tax
1-bedroom rent: $2,180; HUD Fair Market Rent / month
Jobs covering basics: 100%; 51 of 51

Pay and cost of living in King County, WA

Across the 51 occupations we cover in King County, WA, the middle median salary is $60,760 a year. Pay runs from $39,150 for Fast Food and Counter Workers up to $214,680 for Computer and Information Systems Managers, a spread of $175,530. Wages come from the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA survey area.

A one-bedroom apartment in King County, WA has a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,180 a month and a two-bedroom $2,549. Rent, food, home energy and gasoline for one adult add up to $33,210 a year. After federal, FICA and state income taxes, the average occupation here takes home $62,518 a year, and every one of the 51 occupations listed here earns enough take-home pay to cover the four basics.

Open any occupation below for its full payslip, the tax breakdown, the rent comparison and a plain-English explanation of what is left after the basics. Every figure uses the same method, so results are comparable from one job and one county to the next.

All jobs in King County, WA, highest paying first

Showing 1–50 of 51.

Occupations in King County, WA ranked by median salary
#	Occupation	Median salary	Take-home	Left per month
1	Computer and Information Systems Managers	$214,680	$159,796	$10,549
2	Software Developers	$167,280	$125,269	$7,672
3	General and Operations Managers	$146,030	$110,745	$6,461
4	Web and Digital Interface Designers	$133,760	$102,358	$5,762
5	Computer Systems Analysts	$133,690	$102,310	$5,758
6	Project Management Specialists	$130,380	$100,048	$5,570
7	Registered Nurses	$128,260	$98,599	$5,449
8	Management Analysts	$126,340	$97,286	$5,340
9	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers	$121,130	$93,725	$5,043
10	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	$102,920	$80,955	$3,979
11	Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists	$102,170	$80,428	$3,935
12	Electricians	$101,780	$80,153	$3,912
13	Accountants and Auditors	$99,370	$78,458	$3,771
14	Buyers and Purchasing Agents	$95,970	$76,066	$3,571
15	Human Resources Specialists	$92,770	$73,815	$3,384
16	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel	$82,540	$66,618	$2,784
17	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products	$82,260	$66,421	$2,768
18	Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks	$81,850	$66,132	$2,744
19	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers	$81,640	$65,985	$2,731
20	Computer User Support Specialists	$78,330	$63,656	$2,537
21	Carpenters	$76,410	$62,305	$2,425
22	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	$71,240	$58,668	$2,122
23	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers	$62,170	$52,082	$1,573
24	First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers	$61,610	$51,632	$1,535
25	Medical Assistants	$61,500	$51,544	$1,528
26	Maintenance and Repair Workers, General	$60,760	$50,949	$1,478
27	Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks	$60,460	$50,708	$1,458
28	Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive	$60,230	$50,523	$1,443
29	Construction Laborers	$59,740	$50,130	$1,410
30	Bartenders	$58,180	$48,876	$1,305
31	Waiters and Waitresses	$57,280	$48,153	$1,245
32	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks	$56,370	$47,422	$1,184
33	Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators	$55,600	$46,803	$1,133
34	Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary	$53,950	$45,477	$1,022
35	Customer Service Representatives	$53,550	$45,156	$995
36	Office Clerks, General	$53,290	$44,947	$978
37	Nursing Assistants	$51,990	$43,902	$891
38	Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators	$50,150	$42,424	$768
39	Light Truck Drivers	$49,590	$41,974	$730
40	Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers	$48,480	$41,082	$656
41	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	$48,210	$40,865	$638
42	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand	$47,740	$40,488	$606
43	Cooks, Restaurant	$47,730	$40,480	$606
44	Security Guards	$47,490	$40,287	$590
45	Stockers and Order Fillers	$46,830	$39,756	$546
46	Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners	$46,490	$39,483	$523
47	Receptionists and Information Clerks	$45,820	$38,945	$478
48	Cashiers	$44,210	$37,651	$370
49	Food Preparation Workers	$43,830	$37,346	$345
50	Retail Salespersons	$42,080	$35,940	$227