SOC 17-3023

Building Automation Specialist Salary in Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + DC
COL Index: 158.92 (+58.9% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 71.7% Realized
$60,302 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $84,090 $40.43/hr
Effective Tax Drag 22.29% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$18,743 $720.88/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $40.43 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$5,045/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,110/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$8,560
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$5,214
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,219
District of Columbia Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$3,750
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$60,302 ($2,319.29 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Building Automation Specialist Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $84,090
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $60.2k 25th $66.4k Median: $84,090 50th (Median) $84.1k 75th $104k 90th $126k You: $84,090
10th (Entry) $60,200 $28.94/hr
25th (Junior) $66,380 $31.91/hr
50th (Median) $84,090 $40.43/hr
75th (Senior) $104,250 $50.12/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $125,640 $60.40/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Building Automation Specialist in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
1
BMS Field TechnicianHVAC controls fundamentals, sensor wiring, low-voltage safety
$55,924$26.89/hr · 0-2 Years
2
BAS Programmer / SpecialistBACnet, Modbus protocols, direct digital control (DDC) programming
$79,584$38.26/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Controls EngineerSmart building integration, energy management modeling, commissioning
$103,244$49.64/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Automation Project ManagerCommercial building automation projects, client contract management
$129,055$62.05/hr · 8+ Years
Scaled to the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV medianView National Building Automation Specialist Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians-$4,290/yr
National median: $73,900
Skill overlap: 89%
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer+$52,030/yr
National median: $130,220
Skill overlap: 86%
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians-$3,680/yr
National median: $74,510
Skill overlap: 85%
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment-$4,100/yr
National median: $74,090
Skill overlap: 85%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
44% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $2,204/month Requires minimum annual gross of $88,160
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,438/month Requires minimum annual gross of $97,520
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $35.15/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $29.27/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$84,090-$18,743$60,302$2,319.29
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$99,857-$24,470$69,396$2,669.07
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$115,624-$30,196$78,490$3,018.86
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$131,391-$35,957$87,550$3,367.33
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$147,158-$41,980$96,348$3,705.71
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Building Automation Specialist in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and District of Columbia tax codes.

Market Baseline
$84,090/yr
$40.43/hr · SOC 17-3023
Statutory Tax Drag
22.29% Effective
-$18,743 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
44% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,821/mo
Post-$2,204/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 17-3023
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Building Automation Specialist in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: Market Snapshot

Building Automation Specialist roles in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV report a median annual wage of $84,090, 7.5% above the national median of $78,190. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $60,200 to $125,640, and HUD’s $2,204 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 31.5% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $35.15 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Building Automation Specialist

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$106,250+26.4%
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ$103,480+23.1%
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$103,170+22.7%
Lexington Park, MD$102,640+22.1%
Baton Rouge, LA$102,380+21.8%
Albuquerque, NM$102,250+21.6%
Casper, WY$99,840+18.7%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$98,180+16.8%
Lake Charles, LA$97,740+16.2%
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$97,680+16.2%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Computer and Information Systems Managers$195,190$93.84/hr
Public Relations Managers$195,190$93.84/hr
Financial Manager$185,270$89.07/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$185,220$89.05/hr
Marketing Managers$181,260$87.14/hr
Human Resources Managers$177,960$85.56/hr
Sales Managers$175,820$84.53/hr
Purchasing Managers$172,150$82.76/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$171,950$82.67/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$169,060$81.28/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 241 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Building Automation Specialist Salary in Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV Overview

Building Automation Specialist median pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is $84,090 a year ($40.43/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes. Official 2026 economic data for Building Automation Specialist in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Building Automation Specialist in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

The median annual wage is $84,090 ($40.43 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $60,200 and $125,640. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Building Automation Specialist in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV after taxes?

On the median wage of $84,090, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $63,808 a year ($5,317 a month) after $20,282 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 24.12%, using 2026 tax rules.