IT & help desk salary ranges in Washington DC

What open IT & help desk postings in Washington DC say they pay: the top and the low end of the range each one states, in yearly dollars.

$125,000median top
Bars: how many postings top out in each $25k step. From 210 open postings that state pay, read October 28, 2026.

By level

How far the posted top moves from one level to the next, for IT & help desk in Washington DC.

The middle half of posted tops by level, in Washington DC
  1. Senior35 postings
    $155,000$128k–$177k
  2. Manager and above11 postings
    $133,000$123k–$161k

Best-paying companies in Washington DC

Ranked by the median top of their open IT & help desk postings in Washington DC, among companies with at least three that state pay.

The companies whose IT & help desk postings in Washington DC state the highest median top
  1. CACI9 with pay
    $182,000$149k–$182k
  2. Peraton3 with pay
    $179,000$143k–$179k
  3. $169,000$166k–$171k
  4. GDIT8 with pay
    $167,000$126k–$220k
  5. Nightwing6 with pay
    $163,000$163k–$195k
  6. $163,000$129k–$175k
  7. $159,000$141k–$213k
  8. Credence4 with pay
    $150,000$138k–$175k
  9. ManTech3 with pay
    $147,000$136k–$155k
  10. $147,000$124k–$177k

IT & help desk pay by place

The same work in every place with enough postings, highest median first; Washington DC is marked.

The middle half of posted tops for IT & help desk, by place
  1. SF Bay Area280 postings
    $145,000$109k–$187k
  2. Miami29 postings
    $138,000$80k–$164k
  3. Boston95 postings
    $133,000$100k–$176k
  4. San Diego54 postings
    $130,000$92k–$155k
  5. New York277 postings
    $125,000$90k–$163k
  6. Washington DC210 postings
    $125,000$82k–$163k
  7. Seattle104 postings
    $120,000$73k–$166k
  8. Los Angeles106 postings
    $112,000$83k–$150k
  9. Chicago92 postings
    $110,000$79k–$132k
  10. Atlanta71 postings
    $108,000$77k–$144k
  11. All of the US5,725 postings
    $104,000$73k–$144k
  12. Dallas94 postings
    $104,000$62k–$154k
  13. Remote575 postings
    $100,000$72k–$146k
  14. Salt Lake City40 postings
    $87,000$59k–$138k
  15. Philadelphia22 postings
    $84,000$57k–$114k
  16. Denver72 postings
    $83,000$60k–$147k
  17. Austin54 postings
    $75,000$58k–$105k

Using these numbers

  • Before you apply, check where the posting's own range sits against the middle half here. A range far below it is worth a question before you spend an afternoon on the application.
  • When they ask what you expect, a figure inside the middle half for your level is one the market has already posted. Name the top of the posting's range if your experience matches what it asks for.
  • Remember what a top is: the most a company says it may pay for the role. Offers land anywhere in the range, and equity and bonus are not in it.

Questions

How much do IT & help desk jobs pay in Washington DC?

Open IT & help desk postings in Washington DC that state pay post a median top of $125,000 a year; the middle half runs from $82,000 to $163,000, and the median low end of the ranges is $81,000. That is from 210 postings as of October 28, 2026.

How does the pay change with level?

For IT & help desk postings in Washington DC, the median posted top is $155,000 for senior, $133,000 for manager and above.

Which companies post the most for IT & help desk in Washington DC?

Among companies with at least three postings that state pay, CACI ($182,000), Peraton ($179,000), PEOPLE TECHNOLOGY AND PROCESSES ($169,000) post the highest median tops.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the pay ranges employers state in their own open job postings, which DonutApply reads from company job boards and public job feeds every day. They are what a company says it may pay for the role, not salaries anyone reported.

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