WA: Legal Marijuana Industry Accounts for Over 6,200 Full-Time Jobs
The legal marijuana industry in Washington employs thousands in full-time positions, according to a new report.
The report, released by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP), found that at the end of 2016 the legal marijuana industry accounted for the equivalent of 6,227 full-time jobs. With the industry continuing to grow at a rapid pace, that number is likely considerably higher now, as we head deep into the second half of 2017.
The report states that wages for the marijuana industry have totaled $286 million from 2014, to the end of 2016. The average hourly pay rate for the industry has been $16.45 (over $5 an hour more than the state’s minimum wage), with the median range being $13.44 an hour.
According to data released by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, there was over $1,3 billion in legal marijuana sold in Washington in fiscal year 2017, which began on July 1st, 2016, and ended on June 30th, 2017. From these sales, the state garnered over $314 million in taxes.