Average Salaries in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Explore salaries across 594 occupations in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $64.4K, +4.7% 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 2024 estimates. Coverage: 594 occupations and 738,100 total jobs in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
How the metro compares
Wages in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC track close to the national average. Pay for most occupations here is similar to what workers earn nationally.
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC is a mid-sized metro labor market.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Nurse Anesthetists. 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
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.
Top wages
Highest-paid occupations in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Anesthetists | $206.8K | N/A |
| Dentists, General | $202.5K | 710 |
| Anesthesiologists | $199.4K | N/A |
| Computer And Information Systems Managers | $171.5K | 1,670 |
| Podiatrists | $159.4K | 50 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $157.1K | 770 |
| Financial Managers | $154.3K | 2,440 |
| Public Relations Managers | $154.0K | 280 |
| Marketing Managers | $152.9K | 690 |
| Sales Managers | $151.4K | 1,240 |
Most jobs
Largest occupations in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 22,220 | $28.0K |
| Retail Salespersons | 20,980 | $29.8K |
| Cashiers | 17,380 | $28.8K |
| Registered Nurses | 16,270 | $81.2K |
| General And Operations Managers | 15,990 | $103.2K |
| Waiters And Waitresses | 13,550 | $36.9K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 12,660 | $34.8K |
| Janitors And Cleaners, Except Maids And Housekeeping Cleaners | 11,790 | $31.5K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 11,660 | $38.5K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 11,490 | $27.8K |
What Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Location quotient
Most concentrated occupations in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Engineers And Naval Architects | 43.82 | $100.6K |
| Ship Engineers | 31.79 | $79.5K |
| Layout Workers, Metal And Plastic | 20.66 | $67.6K |
| Sailors And Marine Oilers | 15.06 | $44.7K |
| Riggers | 11.29 | $62.9K |
| Captains, Mates, And Pilots Of Water Vessels | 9.96 | $82.7K |
| Radio, Cellular, And Tower Equipment Installers And Repairers | 6.20 | $63.5K |
| Commercial Divers | 5.38 | $75.0K |
| Telemarketers | 5.18 | $37.2K |
| Helpers--Carpenters | 4.46 | $46.7K |
Peer markets
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $90.4K | Training And Development Managers |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $89.2K | Natural Sciences Managers |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $81.4K | Nurse Anesthetists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $80.1K | Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $78.4K | Nurse Anesthetists |
| Vallejo, CA | $77.4K | Lawyers |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $77.2K | Podiatrists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $77.1K | Neurologists |
Common salary questions for Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
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.