UN D-1 Salary in Washington DC, United States

What an internationally recruited Director (D-1) earns at the UN in Washington DC — the global net base salary plus this duty station's 55% post adjustment and the hardship, danger and non-family allowances on top.

Hardship Category H Post Adjustment 54.6% Cost of living 100 (US=100) HDI Rank #17
Jobs 98 Salary & Benefits Living & Relocation

D-1 salary in Washington DC — at a glance

Internationally recruited Professional & Director (P/D) — the global USD scale plus this station's post adjustment. Recruited locally? See the GS/NO local scale.

USD 182,355
Net rem · step 1
USD 203,506
Net rem · mid
USD 224,649
Net rem · top step
USD Post adjustment +55% 13 steps Hardship H January 2026

Net remuneration = net base + 55% post adjustment (net base USD 117,953–USD 145,310), before hardship/danger allowances and pension.

D-1 salary scale — by step

Global net base (un_scale), effective January 2026, with the 55% post adjustment for Washington DC. Per year, USD.

StepNet basePost adj (+55%)Net remunerationEst. take-home
Step 1USD 117,953USD 64,402USD 182,355USD 155,793
Step 2USD 120,232USD 65,647USD 185,879USD 158,783
Step 3USD 122,516USD 66,894USD 189,410USD 161,779
Step 4USD 124,798USD 68,140USD 192,938USD 164,773
Step 5USD 127,071USD 69,381USD 196,452USD 167,755
Step 6USD 129,354USD 70,627USD 199,981USD 170,751
Step 7USD 131,634USD 71,872USD 203,506USD 173,742
Step 8USD 133,911USD 73,115USD 207,026USD 176,729
Step 9USD 136,194USD 74,362USD 210,556USD 179,725
Step 10USD 138,472USD 75,606USD 214,078USD 182,713
Step 11USD 140,752USD 76,851USD 217,603USD 185,705
Step 12USD 143,028USD 78,093USD 221,121USD 188,690
Step 13USD 145,310USD 79,339USD 224,649USD 191,684

Est. take-home deducts a 7.9% UNJSPF pension and an indicative 2.5% medical premium. Indicative — the estimator below computes single/dependency rates and your exact deductions.

On top of base salary in Washington DC

Allowances an internationally recruited D-1 may receive at this duty station. Annual USD unless noted.

Post adjustmentCost-of-living multiplier on net base+55%
Hardship allowanceICSC category H — no hardship elementNot applicable
Mobility incentiveFrom the 2nd assignment onwardNot at H (HQ) stations
Danger paySecurity-risk designationNot a danger-pay station
Non-family allowanceWhen dependants may not accompany staffFamily duty station
Spouse / single-parent allowanceDependent spouse, or first child if a single parent+6% of net remuneration
Child allowancePer dependent child (flat rate)USD 2,929 / child
See these allowances explained in full for Washington DC — plus cost of living & relocation
Estimate Your Take-Home in United States Beta

A simplified estimate for a UN post at Washington DC, United States, on live ICSC figures — for internationally recruited staff (Professional P / D, in US dollars) or locally recruited staff (General Service / National Officer, local scale).

You must already have 5 years' continuous UN service to qualify, and it applies from your 2nd duty station onward. Paid for up to 5 years at any one station.
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* Health insurance is indicative only — real premiums vary by organization, plan (medical and dental are billed separately) and coverage option. The ~2.5% shown is a placeholder, not a quote.

Indicative estimate — excludes rental subsidy, education grant and settling-in. Professional (P/D) pay is in US dollars; GS/NO on the local scale in local currency. For information only — not official advice.

Other Professional grades in Washington DC

Same duty station, different grade — see the full scale for each.

P-1 P-2 P-3 P-4 P-5 D-2

UN jobs in Washington DC (98 open)

World Bank WBG Pioneer - Knowledge Management and Learning InternWorld Bank · Intern World Bank WBG Pioneer - Neurodiversity - Inclusive Internship ProgramWorld Bank · Intern World Bank WBG Pioneer - Postgraduate Intern – West Africa Strategy and Partnership DevelopmentWorld Bank · Intern World Bank WBG Pioneer - Seismic Risk Management InternWorld Bank · Intern World Bank WBG Pioneer - Real Estate Program Review InternWorld Bank · Intern View all UN jobs in Washington DC

Frequently asked

What is the D-1 salary at the UN in Washington DC?

A Director D-1 in Washington DC, United States has a net base salary of about USD 117,953 (step 1) to USD 145,310 (top step). With the 55% post adjustment for this duty station, net remuneration is roughly USD 182,827 to USD 225,231 per year, before hardship, danger and other allowances.

How does post adjustment work for a D-1 in Washington DC?

Post adjustment equalises purchasing power across duty stations. In Washington DC it is about 55% of net base salary, added on top — so the same D-1 net base is worth more or less depending on the station's cost of living.

What is the cost of living in Washington DC, United States?

Everyday prices in United States are roughly 100% of United States levels (World Bank price level index, US = 100). Post adjustment is designed to offset this.

These are UN common-system pay figures. The World Bank, IMF and NGOs and other non-UN employers posting in Washington DC set their own pay — a role here does not guarantee these figures.

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