2026 Edition · An annual reference on what work pays

New York vs. Washington

Public Relations Specialists. Median, spread and buying power, side by side.

Data released May 2025 BLS OEWS · SOC 27-3031
Fig. 1 — Side by side

Both distributions, one scale

10th to 90th percentile, median struck in red
100k150k200k NEW YORK $84,130 WASHINGTON $101,680
Table 1 — Adjusted

Washington's median is 20.9% higher — but after local prices, Washington still leads by 24.9%.

New York's median $84,130 buys $74,700 at national prices (price parity 112.6); Washington's $101,680 buys $93,400 (108.9).

Table 2 — The figures

Point by point

Published percentiles for both metros; the last column is Washington against New York.

New YorkWashingtonΔ
Employment24,82022,810−8.1%
10th percentile$55,410$61,520+11.0%
25th percentile$64,390$77,120+19.8%
Median$84,130$101,680+20.9%
75th percentile$116,590$144,170+23.7%
90th percentile$162,170$195,990+20.9%
Sources

How this page was made

Wage data
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release. Public domain.
Price parity
Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Full pages
Public Relations Specialists in New York · Public Relations Specialists in Washington

Percentiles are reported exactly as released. Derived (price-adjusted) figures round to the nearest hundred. We take no payment for how any figure is presented.