Average Salaries in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Explore salaries across 603 occupations in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $69.3K, +5.4% 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: 603 occupations and 746,280 total jobs in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
How the metro compares
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC pays modestly above the national average. Most occupations here earn more than their national equivalents, but the gap is smaller than in top-tier markets.
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC is a mid-sized metro labor market.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Anesthesiologists. 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.
Highest-paid occupations in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Anesthesiologists | $501K | N/A |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $478.7K | N/A |
| Cardiologists | $430.9K | 230 |
| Chief Executives | $297.4K | 530 |
| Psychiatrists | $277K | 50 |
| Physicians, All Other | $266.3K | 1,050 |
| Surgeons, All Other | $252.1K | 30 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $233.1K | N/A |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $213.7K | 560 |
| Dentists, General | $177.4K | 720 |
Largest occupations in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 22,520 | $28.8K |
| Retail Salespersons | 20,890 | $30.8K |
| General And Operations Managers | 17,400 | $100.3K |
| Registered Nurses | 16,870 | $89.5K |
| Cashiers | 16,840 | $29.3K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 13,920 | $39.2K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 13,750 | $35.1K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 13,650 | $28.4K |
| Waiters And Waitresses | 13,100 | $39K |
| Office Clerks, General | 12,490 | $44.6K |
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.
Most concentrated occupations in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Ship Engineers | 34.36 | $82.4K |
| Layout Workers, Metal And Plastic | 26.46 | $67.5K |
| Sailors And Marine Oilers | 18.24 | $48.2K |
| Nuclear Engineers | 16.75 | $110.5K |
| Riggers | 12.22 | $64.4K |
| Captains, Mates, And Pilots Of Water Vessels | 11.34 | $86.9K |
| Pile Driver Operators | 5.87 | $60.3K |
| Electrical And Electronics Installers And Repairers, Transportation Equipment | 5.58 | $87.9K |
| Insulation Workers, Mechanical | 5.43 | N/A |
| Radio, Cellular, And Tower Equipment Installers And Repairers | 5.19 | $67.8K |
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 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.