Whether you’re an employer building a competitive offer or a professional weighing your next move, one question comes first: what does the role actually pay here? This 2026 DMV salary guide pulls together the starting salary ranges NRI sees across Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia for the roles employers request most — in accounting and finance, administrative and office support, healthcare, and legal.
The numbers below come straight from NRI’s 2026 Salary Surveys. When the same qualified accountant is fielding three offers in a week, guessing pay is how good candidates walk and good hires fall through — so benchmark before you post a role or accept one.
How to use this 2026 DMV salary guide
Keep in mind, these are starting salary ranges for the positions NRI fills most often across the region — not ceilings, and not exhaustive. Actual pay moves with organization size, industry, years of experience, certifications, and where in the DMV the role sits. Accounting figures are broken out by employer size (large, medium, and small organizations) because that gap is real; the other disciplines show a single competitive range. To cross-check against public data, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes Washington-area wage estimates by occupation. For a role that isn’t listed, or tailored data for a specific title, see our full 2026 Salary Surveys or reach out.
Accounting & finance salaries in the DMV (2026)
Accounting pay in the DMV sits high, and it’s no mystery why: associations, federal contractors, and government-adjacent employers all bid for the same finance talent. With the BLS projecting steady demand for accountants and auditors, that competition isn’t easing. Ranges below show large / medium / small organization pay where available.
- Staff / Staffing Accountant — $58,000–$75,000 (large organization); $54,000–$71,000 (medium organization); $50,000–$64,000 (small organization)
- Senior Accountant — $75,000–$100,000 (large organization); $66,000–$87,000 (medium organization); $70,000–$75,000 (small organization)
- Controller — $167,000–$225,000 (large organization); $120,000–$160,000 (medium organization); $85,000–$115,000 (small organization)
- Assistant Controller — $113,000–$150,000 (large organization); $80,000–$106,000 (medium organization); $75,000–$95,000 (small organization)
- A/R – A/P Clerk — $50,000–$65,000 (large organization); $45,000–$60,000 (medium organization); $35,000–$45,000 (small organization)
- A/R – A/P Supervisor — $60,000–$79,000 (large organization); $47,000–$65,000 (medium organization); $40,000–$56,000 (small organization)
- Staff Auditor — $68,000–$86,000 (large organization); $62,000–$81,000 (medium organization)
- Senior Auditor — $80,000–$110,000 (large organization); $78,000–$98,000 (medium organization)
- Audit Manager — $100,000–$150,000 (large organization); $95,000–$125,000 (medium organization)
- Tax Manager — $110,000–$150,000 (large organization); $90,000–$130,000 (medium organization)
- Payroll Manager — $95,000–$130,000 (large organization); $75,000–$95,000 (medium organization); $55,000–$70,000 (small organization)
- Financial Manager — $81,000–$103,000 (large organization); $61,000–$78,000 (medium organization)
- Property Manager — $90,000–$125,000 (large organization); $80,000–$95,000 (medium organization); $60,000–$75,000 (small organization)
- Assistant Property Manager — $50,000–$75,000 (large organization)
- Bookkeeper — $45,000–$60,000 (large organization); $38,000–$45,000 (medium organization)
- Lease Administrator — $72,000–$90,000 (large organization); $70,000–$85,000 (medium organization); $65,000–$75,000 (small organization)
Administrative & office salaries in the DMV (2026)
In fact, administrative pay has moved fast, especially at the top — a seasoned executive assistant or an experienced HR leader can now command what used to be management money. The 2026 ranges:
- Executive Assistant — $60,000–$100,000
- Administrative Assistant — $60,000–$75,000
- Receptionist — $45,000–$65,000
- General Clerk — $45,000–$60,000
- Office Manager — $60,000–$95,000
- Data Entry — $50,000+
- HR Director — $65,000–$200,000
- HR Assistant / Coordinator — $60,000–$75,000
- Tenant Service Coordinator — $55,000+
- Lease Administrator — $70,000–$95,000
- Lease Admin Assistant — $45,000–$55,000
- Property Manager — $60,000–$125,000
- Assistant Property Manager — $50,000–$75,000
- Customer Service / Call Center — $40,000–$55,000
Healthcare salaries in the DMV (2026)
Healthcare, meanwhile, is the one field where demand never really cooled. From front-desk medical staff to RNs, DC-area employers are still competing hard for people — and the BLS expects growth for registered nurses to keep going. What those roles pay here:
- Medical Records Clerk — $40,000–$45,000
- Medical Receptionist — $40,000–$45,000
- Medical Biller — $40,000–$50,000
- Medical Transcriptionist — $40,000–$48,000
- Nurse Practitioner — $100,000–$150,000
- Office Manager — $60,000–$80,000
- Registered Nurse (RN) — $90,000–$110,000
- Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) — $65,000–$85,000
- Certified Medical Assistant — $50,000–$65,000
- Phlebotomist — $45,000–$50,000
- X-Ray Technician — $75,000–$90,000
- Social Worker — $70,000–$100,000
- Certified Coder — $50,000–$70,000
Legal salaries in the DMV (2026)
In short, few places have more lawyers per square mile than DC and it shows up in what legal support earns. The BLS ranks the DC area among the top-paying metros for paralegals and legal assistants, and firms here pay accordingly:
- Paralegal – Junior — $55,000–$75,000
- Paralegal – Senior — $75,000–$100,000+
- Legal Secretary – Junior — $55,000–$65,000
- Legal Secretary – Senior — $70,000–$100,000+
- Receptionist — $50,000–$65,000
- Billing Coordinator — $50,000–$85,000
- Controller — $90,000–$150,000+
- Office Manager — $65,000–$120,000+
- HR Director — $80,000–$180,000
- Legal Administrator — $100,000–$200,000+
- Librarian / Records Manager — $65,000–$85,000
- Marketing Manager — $85,000–$200,000+
What’s driving DMV salaries in 2026
A few regional forces keep DC-area pay above the national line. The federal government and its contractor ecosystem compete directly with private employers for accounting, HR, and administrative talent, which lifts the whole market. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average wage in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria area runs well above the national average — with legal and management among the highest-paid groups — and the local labor market remains tight. The DMV’s high cost of living sets a natural floor under wages, too. So the offer that felt competitive two years ago often isn’t today — and the roles that are hardest to fill, like senior accounting, cleared and specialized talent, and experienced executive support, are exactly where pay has climbed most.
How employers should use this salary guide
Benchmarking first saves the search. If your range sits below these figures, expect a longer hunt and more drop-off; if it sits at or above, you’ll move faster in a market where speed wins. Before you go to market, build the full cost of the role — base, benefits, and the time-to-fill you can afford. And when you need help calibrating an offer or filling a role quickly, NRI staffs seven specialized disciplines across the DMV on a temporary, temp-to-hire, or direct-hire basis. For pay data on a title that isn’t here, our full 2026 Salary Surveys go deeper by discipline.
For job seekers in the DMV
Start here: use these ranges to know your worth before you negotiate. Where you land within a range depends on experience, certifications, and the size and sector of the employer — so come to the conversation with specifics. If you’re exploring your next role, browse current openings with NRI across accounting, administrative, healthcare, and legal.
Frequently asked questions
How current is this DMV salary data?
To be clear, these ranges are from NRI’s 2026 Salary Surveys, reflecting what DC-area employers are paying this year for the roles we’re asked to fill most often. We update them annually.
Do salaries differ across DC, Maryland, and Virginia?
Yes. In fact, pay varies with location within the DMV, employer size, industry, and a candidate’s experience and certifications. Treat these as competitive starting ranges, not fixed figures.
Are these temporary or direct-hire salaries?
Generally, these are annual starting salary ranges for direct-hire roles. Temporary staff are billed hourly; contact us for temporary and temp-to-hire rates.
What if the role I need isn’t listed?
Keep in mind, these are our most frequently requested titles. For a role that isn’t shown — or for detailed, position-specific data — see our full 2026 Salary Surveys or get in touch and we’ll pull it for you.
Which industries push DMV salaries higher?
As noted, the federal government and its contractors, associations, law firms, and healthcare systems all compete for the same talent, which keeps DC-area pay above national averages for many administrative, accounting, and specialized roles.
What this means if you’re hiring
Overall, DMV pay keeps climbing, and how close your offer sits to these ranges usually decides how fast you fill a role — or whether you fill it at all. Use this 2026 DMV salary guide to benchmark, then move before your top candidate takes someone else’s offer. NRI has been placing accounting, administrative, healthcare, and legal professionals across DC, Maryland, and Virginia since 1967.
