Average Salaries in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
Explore salaries across 348 occupations in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $77.8K, +18.2% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 348 occupations and 123,420 total jobs in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.
How the metro compares
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA is one of the higher-paying metros in the country. Average wages here run meaningfully above the national level, though local cost of living often offsets some of that premium.
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA is a smaller metro labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Physicians, All Other. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | $315.2K | 180 |
| Chief Executives | $204.2K | 130 |
| Sales Managers | $172.6K | 240 |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten Through Secondary | $166.9K | 270 |
| Marketing Managers | $166.8K | 180 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $164.6K | 90 |
| Veterinarians | $158.9K | 100 |
| Pharmacists | $154.9K | 220 |
| Physician Assistants | $153.9K | 90 |
| Managers, All Other | $149.8K | 260 |
Largest occupations in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 3,910 | $36.1K |
| General And Operations Managers | 3,670 | $122.2K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 3,370 | $44.1K |
| Retail Salespersons | 3,180 | $37.4K |
| Management Analysts | 2,770 | $88.8K |
| Cashiers | 2,470 | $37.3K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 2,450 | $44.1K |
| Registered Nurses | 2,250 | $125K |
| Secretaries And Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, And Executive | 2,110 | $54.3K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 1,990 | $44.8K |
What Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Epidemiologists | 32.57 | $108.2K |
| Urban And Regional Planners | 20.17 | $95.6K |
| Health Education Specialists | 18.32 | $78.5K |
| Zoologists And Wildlife Biologists | 16.56 | $82.5K |
| Hydrologists | 15.71 | $93.3K |
| Conservation Scientists | 14.66 | $78.5K |
| Archivists | 14.52 | $78K |
| Foresters | 13.03 | $76.6K |
| Economists | 10.93 | $103K |
| Budget Analysts | 7.23 | $91.1K |
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92.6K | Cardiologists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $87.1K | Cardiologists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $83.8K | Radiologists |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82.7K | Radiologists |
| Boulder, CO | $82.3K | Surgeons, All Other |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82.3K | Radiologists |
Common salary questions for Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other metros with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.