Average Salaries in Harrisonburg, VA
Explore salaries across 259 occupations in Harrisonburg, VA. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $62.3K, -5.2% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 259 occupations and 57,280 total jobs in Harrisonburg, VA.
How the metro compares
Harrisonburg, VA pays modestly below the national average. That can be partly offset by a lower cost of living compared with higher-paying markets.
Harrisonburg, VA is a smaller metro labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Chief Executives. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Harrisonburg, VA
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Harrisonburg, VA
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | $265K | 40 |
| Physicians, All Other | $197.6K | 50 |
| Dentists, General | $159.2K | 70 |
| Sales Managers | $157.3K | 130 |
| Computer And Information Systems Managers | $150.6K | 50 |
| Financial Managers | $148.2K | 140 |
| Marketing Managers | $141.4K | 40 |
| Pharmacists | $136.2K | 130 |
| Industrial Production Managers | $136.1K | 70 |
| Education Administrators, Postsecondary | $134.3K | 170 |
Largest occupations in Harrisonburg, VA
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 2,590 | $29.2K |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,980 | $33.4K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 1,650 | $38.1K |
| Cashiers | 1,460 | $29K |
| Janitors And Cleaners, Except Maids And Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,420 | $34.2K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 1,390 | $38.3K |
| Heavy And Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,290 | $58.7K |
| General And Operations Managers | 1,280 | $94.3K |
| Waiters And Waitresses | 1,150 | $44.8K |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,060 | $44.1K |
What Harrisonburg, VA specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Harrisonburg, VA than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Harrisonburg, VA
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Production Workers, All Other | 8.77 | $36.3K |
| Communications Teachers, Postsecondary | 8.67 | $77.8K |
| Machine Feeders And Offbearers | 8.15 | $45.6K |
| Graders And Sorters, Agricultural Products | 7.59 | $35.1K |
| Foreign Language And Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | 7.37 | $80.4K |
| Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 7.00 | $97.4K |
| Physics Teachers, Postsecondary | 6.24 | $101.2K |
| History Teachers, Postsecondary | 6.19 | $82.9K |
| Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary | 5.56 | $77.5K |
| Art, Drama, And Music Teachers, Postsecondary | 5.47 | $77.5K |
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92.6K | Cardiologists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $87.1K | Cardiologists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $83.8K | Radiologists |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82.7K | Radiologists |
| Boulder, CO | $82.3K | Surgeons, All Other |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82.3K | Radiologists |
Common salary questions for Harrisonburg, VA
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other metros with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.