Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers Salary in Washington, DC
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area earn a median $61,820 a year — 27% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $49,281 take-home, or $4,107 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers salary in Washington, DC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,238
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,833
- Medicare (1.45%)$896
- District of Columbia income tax$2,572
- Take-home pay$49,281
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.50% state
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro spans District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers pay by experience in Washington, DC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $38,840 | $18.67 | $32,224 | $2,685 |
| 25th percentile | $45,390 | $21.82 | $37,093 | $3,091 |
| Median (50th) | $61,820 | $29.72 | $49,281 | $4,107 |
| 75th percentile | $80,620 | $38.76 | $61,662 | $5,138 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $100,250 | $48.20 | $73,803 | $6,150 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, District of Columbia resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $61,820 buys in Washington, DC
Prices in Washington, DC are 8.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.51× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers's $49,281 take-home pay has the buying power of $45,260 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers jobs are less concentrated in Washington, DC than nationally (location quotient 0.23), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers, adjusted for cost of living
Washington, DC ranks #7 of 45 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $76,800 | $62,859 | $56,562 |
| 2 | Wichita, KS | $63,030 | $50,107 | $56,334 |
| 3 | Kansas City, MO | $63,000 | $50,777 | $54,868 |
| 4 | Tulsa, OK | $56,210 | $45,361 | $50,845 |
| 5 | Hartford, CT | $60,040 | $48,645 | $47,345 |
| 6 | Virginia Beach, VA | $57,330 | $45,762 | $46,724 |
| 7 | Washington, DC | $61,820 | $49,281 | $45,260 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $58,900 | $47,024 | $44,861 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 45 metros →
About the job: inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
Inspect, test, sort, sample, or weigh nonagricultural raw materials or processed, machined, fabricated, or assembled parts or products for defects, wear, and deviations from specifications. May use precision measuring instruments and complex test equipment.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +2.5% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers make in Washington, DC?
The median inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers salary in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area is $61,820 a year, or about $29.72 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $45,390 and $80,620.
What is a inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers’s take-home pay in Washington, DC?
On the median $61,820 salary, a single filer living in District of Columbia takes home about $49,281 a year ($4,107 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,572 in District of Columbia taxes in 2026.
Is Washington, DC a good place to work as a inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers?
Pay here is 27% above the national median of $48,570. Local prices are 8.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $45,260 would in a typical U.S. city. Washington, DC ranks #7 of 45 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers afford rent in Washington, DC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Washington, DC is $1,990 a month ($2,223 for two bedrooms) — 48% of a median inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Washington, DC
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers — $77,990
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $46,400
- Baker — $38,650
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker — $36,300