OLYMPIA, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The average salary in Washington is nearing $100,000 a year.

That’s according to a new report from the Washington state Employment Security Department, which says Washington’s average annual wage grew to just over $95,000 in 2024.

It was a nearly 7% increase from 2023 and outpaced growth from the previous year.

Average salaries in Washington have been roughly 18-20% higher than the national average over the past few years, according to the state Office of Financial Management.

The report attributes last year’s growth to a slight boost in employment and a sizeable hike in total wages and salaries. But it’s still unclear how much King County’s higher-paid workforce is inflating the state average.

Preliminary data for Whatcom and Skagit counties won’t be available until later in the month.