Nursing Assistants salary in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Official BLS OEWS May 2025 pay for Nursing Assistants in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area — and the estimated take-home pay on the median wage under 2026 District of Columbia tax rules.
Take-home estimate: single filer, no dependents, no pre-tax contributions, paid biweekly, a full year of W-2 wages in District of Columbia; city and local taxes are not included. Full breakdown below.
The figures
The median Nursing Assistants in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area earns $45,730 a year ($21.99 an hour), according to the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates (full citation in Sources). The middle half of Nursing Assistants in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV earn between $39,020 and $48,980 a year. At the ends of the distribution, the lowest-paid 10 percent earn $36,060 or less and the top 10 percent earn $55,390 or more. BLS estimates 25,520 Nursing Assistants jobs in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV area — 8.139 of every 1,000 jobs in the area, a location quotient of 0.87 (below the national concentration). That is 1.8% of all Nursing Assistants employment in the United States (1,448,910 jobs nationally). By employment, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is the #6 largest of the 25 covered metro areas for Nursing Assistants. In aggregate, Nursing Assistants in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV earn about $1.15 billion a year (BLS employment multiplied by the mean wage). At the mean wage, the engine's take-home is $36,833.92 a year, so the aggregate take-home of Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Nursing Assistants is about $0.94 billion. BLS reports a relative standard error of 3.1% for this employment estimate. Ranked by median pay, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV stands #13 of the 25 metro areas covered on this site for Nursing Assistants. By employment, Nursing Assistants is the #21 largest of the 30 covered occupations in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. Placed against the national distribution for Nursing Assistants, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV median of $45,730 falls between the national median ($42,260) and the national 75th percentile ($47,220). Across all occupations, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV median is $71,060 a year — Nursing Assistants pay is 35.6% below the area's overall median.
Wages in detail
| Wage level | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Mean | $21.70 | $45,130 |
| 10th percentile | $17.34 | $36,060 |
| 25th percentile | $18.76 | $39,020 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $21.99 | $45,730 |
| 75th percentile | $23.55 | $48,980 |
| 90th percentile | $26.63 | $55,390 |
What the wage distribution says
The top 10 percent of Nursing Assistants in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV earn 1.5 times what the bottom 10 percent earn ($55,390 against $36,060). The middle half spans $9,960 — from $39,020 to $48,980. Hourly, the 90th percentile ($26.63) is 1.54 times the 10th ($17.34). In the upper half of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV distribution, the 75th percentile wage of $48,980 takes home $39,696.44 and the 90th percentile wage of $55,390 takes home $44,460.64 — $4,764.20 more net for $6,410 more gross. Against the median take-home of $37,280.26, the top decile keeps 1.19 times as much. The mean wage of $45,130 sits 1.3% below the median: the average is held down by the lower end of the distribution in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. Among the 30 covered occupations in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, Nursing Assistants ranks #22 by median pay. In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV wage ladder of covered occupations, Nursing Assistants sits between Waiters and Waitresses at $46,040 and Cooks, Restaurant at $42,920. Nursing Assistants accounts for 0.8% of all employment in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area. The average covered metro employs 21,090 Nursing Assistants; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV employs 1.2 times that.
Take-home pay on the median wage in District of Columbia
Single filer, no dependents, no pre-tax contributions, paid biweekly, a full year of W-2 wages in District of Columbia; city and local taxes are not included:
| Gross pay (annual) | $45,730.00 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $3,307.60 |
| Social Security (FICA) | $2,835.26 |
| Medicare (FICA) | $663.08 |
| District of Columbia income tax | $1,643.80 |
| Total deductions | $8,449.74 |
| Net pay (annual) | $37,280.26 |
| Net pay per biweekly paycheck | $1,433.86 |
| Total deduction rate | 18.48% of gross |
At the median, $37,280.26 of the $45,730 gross is kept ($1,433.86 per paycheck) — a deduction rate of 18.48%. The deduction rate moves with pay: 16.55% at the 10th percentile, 17.24% at the 25th percentile, 18.95% at the 75th percentile, 19.73% at the 90th percentile. Between the 25th and 75th percentile wages, annual take-home rises by $7,405.24 on a gross rise of $9,960.
The same engine at the other published points of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV wage distribution:
| Wage point | Net per year | Net per paycheck | Deduction rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile ($36,060) | $30,090.66 | $1,157.33 | 16.55% |
| 25th percentile ($39,020) | $32,291.20 | $1,241.97 | 17.24% |
| Median ($45,730) | $37,280.26 | $1,433.86 | 18.48% |
| 75th percentile ($48,980) | $39,696.44 | $1,526.79 | 18.95% |
| 90th percentile ($55,390) | $44,460.64 | $1,710.02 | 19.73% |
Across the published distribution, take-home pay runs from $30,090.66 a year at the 10th percentile to $44,460.64 at the 90th — a spread of $14,369.98 of net pay inside one occupation and one metro area.
For scale: across all occupations, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV median wage of $71,060 takes home $55,576.74 a year ($2,137.57 per paycheck, deduction rate 21.79%). The Nursing Assistants median take-home of $37,280.26 sits $18,296.48 (32.9%) below the area-wide median take-home of $55,576.74.
Multi-state metro area. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV also covers parts of Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia. The take-home estimate above uses District of Columbia rules — the metro area's primary state. If the job is based in another part of the metro area, the state tax changes: see the Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia paycheck calculators.
Run your own numbers
Your own withholding depends on your Form W-4, your benefits and your other income — run your exact figures through the calculator:
Against the national median
Nationally, the median Nursing Assistants earns $42,260 a year ($20.32 an hour). The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV median of $45,730 is $3,470 (8.2%) above the national median.
The means rank the area the same way: $45,130 a year in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV against $42,700 nationally, a gap of $2,430 (5.7%).
Set against the whole local market, the Nursing Assistants 90th percentile of $55,390 is 32% of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV all-occupations 90th percentile ($174,600), and its 10th percentile of $36,060 is 99% of the area-wide 10th ($36,260).
| Median annual | Median hourly | Mean annual | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $45,730 | $21.99 | $45,130 |
| United States | $42,260 | $20.32 | $42,700 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the median salary for Nursing Assistants in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
$45,730 a year ($21.99 an hour), per the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates. The mean is $45,130 a year. Ranked by median pay, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV stands #13 of the 25 covered metro areas for this occupation.
What is the take-home pay on $45,730 in District of Columbia?
About $37,280.26 a year ($1,433.86 per biweekly paycheck) for a single filer with no dependents and no pre-tax contributions, under 2026 rules — a total deduction rate of 18.48% of gross. At the 75th percentile wage of $48,980, take-home is $39,696.44.
How does pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV compare with the national median for Nursing Assistants?
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV median of $45,730 is $3,470 (8.2%) above the national median of $42,260 a year. At the top of the distribution, the local 90th percentile is $55,390, against a national 90th percentile of $51,980.
How much do the top 10% of Nursing Assistants earn in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
$55,390 a year or more ($26.63 an hour or more), per the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates.
What is the take-home pay at the 90th percentile for Nursing Assistants in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
On $55,390 a year, the engine gives a take-home of $44,460.64 a year ($1,710.02 per biweekly paycheck) in District of Columbia under the same assumptions — a deduction rate of 19.73%.
How many Nursing Assistants jobs are there in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
BLS estimates 25,520 Nursing Assistants jobs in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area — 8.139 of every 1,000 jobs in the area.
How concentrated are Nursing Assistants jobs in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The location quotient is 0.87 — below the national concentration. A quotient of 1.0 means the occupation's share of local employment equals its national share.
How much does take-home pay vary for Nursing Assistants in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
From $30,090.66 a year at the 10th percentile wage ($36,060) to $44,460.64 at the 90th ($55,390), under the same single-filer assumptions in District of Columbia.
What is the total wage bill for Nursing Assistants in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
About $1.15 billion a year — the BLS employment estimate of 25,520 multiplied by the mean wage of $45,130.
Sources and method
Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates (released May 15, 2026), retrieved October 27, 2026 — bls.gov/oes. OEWS figures are survey estimates for May 2025, not job offers. Take-home pay is computed by this site's paycheck engine with 2026 federal and state rules; the method, and what the engine does not model, is documented in the paycheck methodology guide. Estimates only — not tax advice.