Average Salaries in Virginia
Explore salaries across 756 occupations in Virginia. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $74K, +12.5% 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: 756 occupations and 4,059,070 total jobs in Virginia.
How the state compares
Virginia 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 has a large and diverse labor market, with meaningful employment across most occupations.
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
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
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Anesthesiologists | $488.3K | N/A |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $478.7K | 170 |
| Cardiologists | $461.5K | 810 |
| Oral And Maxillofacial Surgeons | $403.4K | 210 |
| Radiologists | $376.3K | N/A |
| Surgeons, All Other | $360.5K | 260 |
| Chief Executives | $310.7K | 4,870 |
| Psychiatrists | $295K | 370 |
| Obstetricians And Gynecologists | $282.4K | N/A |
| Dermatologists | $280.1K | N/A |
Largest occupations in Virginia
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 104,460 | $30.1K |
| General And Operations Managers | 103,590 | $122.1K |
| Retail Salespersons | 100,290 | $34.2K |
| Software Developers | 88,280 | $136.5K |
| Cashiers | 83,890 | $30.6K |
| Registered Nurses | 77,490 | $93.6K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 70,070 | $30.3K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 69,660 | $36.4K |
| Office Clerks, General | 66,550 | $46.4K |
| Janitors And Cleaners, Except Maids And Housekeeping Cleaners | 65,970 | $35.2K |
What Virginia 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 than in the country as a whole, which signals what this state is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Virginia
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematicians | 7.45 | $148K |
| Layout Workers, Metal And Plastic | 6.83 | $70.3K |
| Ship Engineers | 6.53 | $82.4K |
| Fallers | 4.04 | $48.3K |
| Nuclear Technicians | 3.96 | $98.9K |
| Information Security Analysts | 3.80 | $134.9K |
| Computer And Information Research Scientists | 3.65 | $157.4K |
| Geographers | 3.63 | $108K |
| Sailors And Marine Oilers | 3.54 | $49.1K |
| Social Scientists And Related Workers, All Other | 3.45 | $140.7K |
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $89.7K | Neurologists |
| Washington | $86.5K | Cardiologists |
| New York | $83.2K | Cardiologists |
| California | $83.2K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Massachusetts | $81.2K | Radiologists |
| New Jersey | $80.4K | Radiologists |
| Minnesota | $79.9K | Radiologists |
| Alaska | $79.6K | Emergency Medicine Physicians |
Metros inside Virginia
Salaries can vary a lot within a single state. Urban metro areas typically pay more than rural regions, and specific industries cluster in particular cities. Drill into any metro below for its own full salary breakdown.
Major metros in Virginia
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $69.3K | 746,280 |
| Richmond, VA | $71.3K | 640,050 |
| Roanoke, VA | $65K | 144,880 |
| Charlottesville, VA | $70.6K | 96,720 |
| Lynchburg, VA | $60.7K | 88,660 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | $64.9K | 60,960 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $62.5K | 59,700 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | $62.3K | 57,280 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $63.3K | 42,930 |
Common salary questions for Virginia
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 states 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.