Bellingham Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Bellingham, WA: $27.80/hr median hourly wage, $57,820 median annual salary, cost of living index 112, and $16.66/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Washington taxes.
Bellingham Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Bellingham, WA is $27.80/hr,and the median annual wage is $57,820. Entry-level pay estimates around $17.24/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $39.48/hr, and the local minimum wage is $16.66/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Bellingham, WA metropolitan statistical area (91,390 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Bellingham shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$57,820
$27.80/hr
Cost of Living
112
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$16.66
per hour
Unemployment
3.2%
rate
Bellingham, WA Overview
Population
93,734
Median Salary
$57,820
Average Salary
$71,310
Avg Commute
18 min
Median Home Price
$500,000
Median Rent
$1,500/mo
Job Growth
+1.8%
Sales Tax
8.6%
Bellingham is located in Washington with a population of 93,734. The median annual wage across all occupations is $57,820 ($27.80/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Bellingham, WA metro), which is $6,840 above the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 18 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +1.8%.
Bellingham Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Bellingham, WA built around the $57,820 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Bellingham, WA metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $35,848 | $17.24/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $57,820 | $27.80/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $82,104 | $39.48/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $102,920 | $49.48/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Bellingham Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Bellingham, WA, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$48,638
$4,053.20/month · $1,870.71/biweekly · Effective Rate: 15.9%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,870.71 take-home per paycheck after estimated Washington and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$57,820
Federal Tax
-$4,758
State Tax
$0
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$4,423
Net Pay
$48,638
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $4,818.33 | $57,820.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$396.53 | -$4,758.40 |
| Washington State Tax (0.00% eff.) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$298.74 | -$3,584.84 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$69.87 | -$838.39 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $4,053.20 | $48,638.37 |
Salary Comparison: Bellingham vs Other Cities
See how Bellingham's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham, WA | $57,820 | 112 | $51,625 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Worcester, MA | $57,830 | 108 | $53,546 |
| Leominster, MA | $57,830 | 132.8 | $43,547 |
| Fitchburg, MA | $57,830 | 125.5 | $46,080 |
| Shrewsbury, MA | $57,830 | 136.9 | $42,243 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Bellingham
Bellingham's cost of living index is 112 (national average = 100). Living in Bellingham is 12% more expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$500,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,500
Annual Rent Cost
$18,000
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $48,638 annual take-home pay in Bellingham has the purchasing power of approximately $43,427 in an average-cost US area. You would need to earn $64,758 in Bellingham to match a $57,820 salary in an average-cost city.
Top Industries in Bellingham
Bellingham's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $57,820.
Salary Tips for Bellingham Workers
- No state income tax advantage. Washington has no state income tax, which means more of your paycheck stays in your pocket. Invest the savings in a Roth IRA or 401(k) for long-term growth.
- Research top industries. Bellingham's top industries include Education, Healthcare, Tourism. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $57,820 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Other Cities in Washington
Bothell
Bremerton
Burien
Des Moines
Edmonds
Everett
Federal Way
Graham
Issaquah
Kennewick
Kent
Kirkland
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Bellingham salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Bellingham, WA metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Bellingham indexed at 112.
- Median salary: $57,820 annual, $27.80 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Bellingham, WA MSA (91,390 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $71,310 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Bellingham was $55,000.
- Tax burden reflects Washington 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 0%) (no local income tax), sales tax (8.6%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Bellingham: 3.2%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Education, Healthcare, Tourism, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 1.8% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Washington.
- Housing context: median home price $500,000, median rent $1,500/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Bellingham, WA:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Bellingham unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Bellingham QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, Washington, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Bellingham's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent Washington labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Bellingham, WA?
The median hourly wage in Bellingham, WA is $27.80 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Bellingham, WA metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $57,820. Entry-level workers are estimated around $17.24/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $39.48/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Bellingham, WA?
The median salary in Bellingham, WA is $57,820 per year, or $27.80 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Bellingham, WA metro area). The BLS mean salary is $71,310. This is $6,840 above the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Bellingham, WA?
Bellingham's cost of living index is 112 (national average = 100), meaning it is 12% more expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $500,000 and the median monthly rent is $1,500.
What are the best industries in Bellingham?
The top industries in Bellingham, WA include Education, Healthcare, Tourism. The city has a job growth rate of 1.8% and an unemployment rate of 3.2%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $57,820.
How does Bellingham's salary compare to other cities?
Bellingham's median salary of $57,820 is 13.4% above the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 112), the real purchasing power is approximately $51,625.
What is the minimum wage in Bellingham, WA?
The minimum wage in Bellingham, WA is $16.66 per hour. This equals approximately $34,653 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This is $9.41 above the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.