Salary data is based on the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan area and applied to Washington using local cost-of-living adjustments.

Physicians Salaries in Washington, DC

Average Base Pay

$192,575/yr

33% above national average

Monthly

$16,048

Hourly

$93

Cost Index

132

Physicians in Washington, DC earn an average of $192,575 per year, with most salaries falling between $154,060 and $231,090 depending on experience, employer, and specialization. At 33% above the national average, Washington ranks among the higher-paying markets for this role, in part reflecting a local cost of living index of 132. For professionals evaluating a move or negotiating an offer, the headline salary is only part of the picture—what matters most is how far that income actually goes once taxes, rent, and daily expenses are factored in. The sections below break that down in full for Washington.

Salary Range

The chart below shows the full compensation spectrum for this role, from entry-level to senior positions. The highlighted center bars represent the 25th–75th percentile band where most professionals are paid.

$144K
Low

$193K
Median

$241K
High

25th percentile: $164K75th percentile: $221K

About Physicians

Physicians diagnose and treat illnesses, injuries, and medical conditions across a wide range of specialties. General practitioners and family medicine physicians manage undifferentiated health problems and chronic conditions for patients of all ages, serving as the primary point of care and coordinating specialist referrals. Internists focus on adult medicine and often subspecialize in areas such as cardiology, gastroenterology, oncology, or pulmonology. Surgeons perform operative procedures to treat conditions ranging from appendicitis and cancer to orthopedic injuries and heart disease. Psychiatrists diagnose and treat mental health conditions using medication management and psychotherapy. Emergency physicians manage acute and life-threatening conditions in high-acuity settings. Pediatricians care for infants, children, and adolescents. Pathologists diagnose disease through laboratory analysis of tissue, blood, and other specimens. Radiologists interpret medical imaging studies. The educational pathway requires four years of medical school following a bachelor's degree, three to seven years of residency training, and often additional fellowship training in a subspecialty. Physicians are licensed by state medical boards and must maintain board certification through continuous medical education and periodic examinations.

What Physicians Do

Obtain patient history and perform physical examinations
Diagnose conditions based on clinical findings and diagnostic test results
Develop and implement individualized treatment plans
Prescribe medications and therapies
Order and interpret diagnostic tests including laboratory studies and imaging
Perform procedures appropriate to specialty
Coordinate care with specialists, nurses, and allied health professionals
Maintain accurate medical records and complete documentation

Key Skills & Qualifications

Clinical assessment and diagnostic reasoning
Medical knowledge across pathophysiology, pharmacology, and treatment
Procedure-specific technical skills relevant to specialty
Patient communication and shared decision-making
Interpretation of laboratory and radiographic data
Electronic health record documentation
MD or DO degree, residency completion, and board certification
Medical licensure in state(s) of practice

Career Path

Medical Student
Resident Physician
Attending Physician
Subspecialty Fellow
Department Chief / Medical Director

Physicians Market in Washington, DC

Salary Competitiveness

Washington is one of the stronger-paying markets for Physicians, with local salaries running approximately 33% above the national median. This premium typically reflects a combination of higher employer competition, concentrated industry presence, and elevated cost expectations built into local compensation norms.

Cost of Living Impact

The cost of living in Washington is well above the national average, and essential monthly expenses consume roughly 30% of take-home pay for this role. That compression means a higher gross salary buys less financial breathing room than the headline number suggests—particularly for housing, which tends to dominate the budget in high-cost markets.

Effective Purchasing Power

After adjusting for local taxes and cost of living, a Physicians earning $192,575 in Washington reaches a strong purchasing-power position. The effective standard of living this income supports is materially higher than the gross number alone implies—a useful data point for professionals comparing offers across metro areas.

vs. National Avg

+33%

Cost Pressure

30%

Purchasing Power

Strong

Take-Home Pay Calculator

Enter any gross salary to see how federal and state taxes affect your actual take-home pay, broken down by year, month, and week. Results use an estimated effective tax rate of 27% based on this location and income level.

Annual Salary

Take-home (73%)Taxes (27%)

Annual Net

$140,580

Monthly

$11,715

Weekly

$2,703

Eff. Tax Rate

27%

A gross salary of $192,575 for a Physicians in Washington translates to roughly $11,715 in monthly take-home pay after estimated federal and state taxes. Set against monthly living costs of $3,555—covering housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare—that leaves approximately $8,160 per month in disposable income. That margin, not the gross number, is what determines whether you can comfortably cover rent, build savings, and afford discretionary spending in Washington's current market.

How far does this salary go in Washington?

Cost of Living in Washington

Estimated monthly expenses for a single person in Washington, benchmarked against US regional price indices for housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare.

Cost Index

132

High — US average is 100. Based on a single person (1-bed apartment).

🏠Housing / Rent$2,180/mo

🍔Food & Groceries$610/mo

🚗Transportation$170/mo

💡Utilities$205/mo

🏥Healthcare$390/mo

Monthly$3,555

Annual$42,660

Disposable Income$8,160

Financial Reality Check

This section compares estimated monthly take-home pay against typical living costs in Washington to show your real disposable income—the amount remaining after essential bills are paid each month.

Monthly Take-Home

$11,715

Living Costs

$3,555

Disposable

$8,160

Cost Index

132

Lifestyle

Comfortable

With a monthly take-home of $11,715, your estimated living costs in Washington are $3,555 ($42,660/yr). This leaves $8,160 per month in disposable income, indicating a comfortable standard of living. Washington's cost of living is 32% above the national average.

Overall, a Physicians earning $192,575 in Washington falls into a comfortable lifestyle tier and has meaningful room to save, invest, and absorb unexpected expenses without financial stress. With a cost index of 132, Washington is 32% more expensive than the national average, which compresses real purchasing power. Regardless of tier, prioritizing retirement contributions, an emergency fund of three to six months' expenses, and incremental debt reduction will yield the greatest long-term financial stability—especially as living costs in Washington continue to evolve.