Entry-level Electrical Engineer salary in Washington, DC
Based on 43 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Herndon, Manassas, Reston, Germantown, Gaithersburg.
Also listed as: Electrical Design Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $89,440 |
| 25th | $90,000 |
| 50th (median) | $96,552 |
| 75th | $109,357 |
| 90th | $131,400 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $78,645 | $76,607 | $84,000 | 63 |
| FY2021 | $86,500 | $80,600 | $92,142 | 60 |
| FY2022 | $85,000 | $83,533 | $98,989 | 35 |
| FY2023 | $84,700 | $81,250 | $91,842 | 26 |
| FY2024 | $91,169 | $86,250 | $100,005 | 28 |
| FY2025 | $96,552 | $89,500 | $110,000 | 33 |
| FY2026 | $97,663 | $95,326 | $105,470 | 10 |
Cost of living
Washington's median entry-level Electrical Engineer salary of $96,552 is worth about $88,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Washington = 108.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Electrical Engineers in the Washington, DC area earned a median of $126,420 in May 2025 (4,450 employed). The H-1B median here is $96,552, 24% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| M.C. Dean | too few | 7 |
| Amazon | too few | 4 |
| Hughes Network Systems | too few | 3 |
| N5 Sensors | too few | 2 |
| Setty & Associates International, PLLC | too few | 2 |
| XL Construction | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $96,552 | 43 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $130,000 | 42 |
| Senior · Level III | $160,000 | 19 |
| Expert · Level IV | $170,278 | 28 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $89,440 | $96,552 | 43 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $110,968 | $130,000 | 42 |
| Senior · Level III | $139,630 | $160,000 | 19 |
| Expert · Level IV | $154,024 | $170,278 | 28 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.