Washington Career & Training Directory
Explore 218 careers with Washington-specific salary data, licensing requirements, and 8 accredited schools.
Top Careers in Washington
Washington State's Tech Giants and Aerospace Industry Create Nation-Leading Wages
Washington state is home to Amazon, Microsoft, and Boeing's commercial airplane division — three of the most consequential employers in America. The Puget Sound region commands the highest wages for software engineers and cloud architects in the country, with Amazon and Microsoft paying median software engineering salaries well above $150,000. Boeing's Renton and Everett plants remain the world's largest aircraft assembly complexes. Agriculture — apples, wheat, hops, and wine grapes — dominates Eastern Washington. No state income tax and strong union activity in aerospace keep wages elevated across virtually all sectors.
Software Developer
- Median Salary
- $162,400/yr
- Job Growth
- +24.1% (2022–2032)
- Training Time
- 4-year bachelor's degree
Registered Nurse
- Median Salary
- $95,200/yr
- Job Growth
- +5.9% (2022–2032)
- Training Time
- 2–4 years (ADN or BSN)
Aircraft Mechanic
- Median Salary
- $92,400/yr
- Job Growth
- +6.0% (2022–2032)
- Training Time
- 2-year associate degree + FAA cert
Electrician
- Median Salary
- $86,400/yr
- Job Growth
- +10.0% (2022–2032)
- Training Time
- 4–5 years (apprenticeship)
Cloud Infrastructure Engineer
- Median Salary
- $141,800/yr
- Job Growth
- +15.0% (2022–2032)
- Training Time
- 4-year bachelor's degree + cloud certs
Construction Manager
- Median Salary
- $109,400/yr
- Job Growth
- +7.2% (2022–2032)
- Training Time
- 4-year bachelor's degree
Salary figures based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024/2025. Growth projections from BLS Employment Projections 2022–2032. State figures reflect Washington-specific wage data; individual employer pay varies.
Airline Pilot (Career Track) / Flight Student
DevOps Engineer / Site Reliability Engineer
Cybersecurity Analyst
Cloud Technician / Cloud Engineer
Construction Manager / Superintendent
Database Administrator (DBA)
Schools in Washington
Renton Technical College
King County technical college with nationally recognized culinary arts, healthcare, and trades programs; strong industry...
Bates Technical College
Pierce County technical college on three campuses offering 60+ career programs with strong apprenticeship track connecti...
Clover Park Technical College
Joint-Base Lewis-McChord adjacent technical college with strong veteran services and aviation maintenance program alongs...
Bellingham Technical College
Northwest Washington technical college focused exclusively on career and technical education; all programs lead directly...
About Washington's Job Market
Washington's economy supports a strong demand for trained vocational professionals across healthcare, construction, technology, and transportation. The state's growing population drives steady openings for allied health workers, skilled tradespeople, and tech professionals.