Fresh Profile: Jobs in Washington, D.C.

Published on 2008-06-10

Though the labor market in America's capital city has the reputation of being dominated by federal government jobs, Washington, D.C.'s economy has grown and diversified extensively in recent years. The District of Columbia Department of Employment Services reported in March that about 27% of all DC jobs are in national government. However, the stimulatory effect that the federal government has on private-sector employment in D.C. cannot be overlooked. Economic studies have shown that federal procurement alone accounts for about 20% of D.C.'s Gross Regional Product. Tens of thousands of media, tourism and consulting jobs owe their existence to Washington's status as a seat of national and global power and historic interest.

Healthcare is one of the largest employers by industry in D.C., with over 55,000 jobs as of March 2008 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Opportunities in the Washington medical industry include both federal jobs within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and healthcare jobs at D.C. hospitals such as Washington Hospital Center, Georgetown University Hospital, Children's National Medical Center, and Howard University Hospital, all of which are among the District of Columbia's largest employers.

Education is another pillar of the Washington, DC job market. Major universities in the city include Georgetown University, Howard University, The George Washington University, University of the District of Columbia, and American University. There are also 167 schools and learning centers within D.C.'s public school system. The BLS reports slightly fewer than 50,000 education jobs in Washington, D.C.

The travel and tourism jobs sector is an important one for the D.C. labor market, supporting more than 70,000 full-time positions. In 2006, Washington, D.C. ranked 8th among U.S. travel destinations, with over 15 million visitors. There are about 600 hotels in the D.C. metro area.

Publishing is another major Washington industry, driven primarily by the federal government's need for documents. The BLS reports over 21,000 publishing jobs in D.C.

Washington is also a world capital for international finance. The World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and Inter-American Development Bank are all located there, as are branches for numerous domestic and international banks.

All total, the BLS reports over 311,000 Washington, D.C. jobs that are held by residents, but these employment statistics can be misleading due to the large number of commuters who work in the District but live in Maryland, Virginia or elsewhere. The reverse is also true, as government agencies provide a large number of Virginia jobs in defense and technology.

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