The Roanoke, VA metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in Roanoke, VA (2026)
The average salary in the Roanoke metro area is $60,590 a year and the median is $47,140: 8% below the US median and 15% below Virginia's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $50,350, 214th of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $60,590US $69,770
- Median salary
- $47,140US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $22.67BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 93.6US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in Roanoke earn
| Percentile | Roanoke area | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $28,780 | $30,530 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $35,700 | $37,720 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $47,140 | $55,690 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $68,640 | $89,420 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $100,390 | $139,010 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $60,590 | $74,040 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Roanoke
BEA Regional Price Parities put the Roanoke area at 93.6 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $93,620 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items93.6
- Housing (rents)78.5
- Goods96.8
- Utilities88.9
- Other services98.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 93.6 |
| Housing (rents) | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 88.9 |
| Other services | 98.6 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in Roanoke
Mean annual wage in the Roanoke area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | Roanoke area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $88,750 | $101,420 | -12% |
| Software Developer | $118,370 | $148,100 | -20% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $62,830 | $72,650 | -14% |
| Accountant | $82,870 | $94,750 | -13% |
| Electrician | $58,160 | $71,490 | -19% |
| Truck Driver | $58,050 | $59,710 | -3% |
| Customer Service Representative | $44,260 | $46,590 | -5% |
| Retail Salesperson | $33,630 | $37,310 | -10% |
| Nursing Assistant | $40,190 | $42,700 | -6% |
| General and Operations Manager | $118,930 | $134,940 | -12% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $52,440 | $53,780 | -2% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $34,360 | $38,730 | -11% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in Roanoke
BLS publishes estimates for 385 occupations in this metro. Highest mean pay, and the large occupations this area pays furthest above their national average.
Highest-paying jobs
Mean annual wage
- 1Pediatrician, General$220,750
- 2Optometrist$219,610
- 3Financial Manager$172,410
- 4IT Manager$166,670
- 5Marketing Manager$160,310
- 6Public Relations Manager$158,640
- 7Sales Manager$157,600
- 8Lawyer$153,590
- 9Human Resources Manager$150,220
- 10Architectural and Engineering Manager$148,240
Jobs Roanoke pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Bartender$51,580 · +26%
- 2Tutor$56,800 · +18%
- 3Detective and Criminal Investigator$111,430 · +12%
- 4Server$42,040 · +5%
- 5Multiple Machine Tool Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic$51,730 · +3%
- 6Instructional Coordinator$83,120 · +3%
- 7Postal Service Mail Sorter, Processor, and Processing Machine Operator$60,880 · +2%
- 8Social and Community Service Manager$90,880 · +2%
- 9Pest Control Worker$47,420 · +2%
- 10Education Administrator, Postsecondary$129,170 · +2%
Compare
Other metro areas in Virginia
Method
About these numbers
- All-occupations wages for the metro are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 estimates (api.bls.gov). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Pay by occupation is the OEWS May 2025 mean for that occupation in this metro, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 prevailing-wage file. Only figures BLS estimated for this metro itself are used, never state or national fallbacks.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Roanoke: FAQ
What is the average salary in Roanoke?
Across all occupations in the Roanoke, VA metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $60,590 and the median is $47,140, 8% below the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 153,980 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in Roanoke?
Above $47,140 out-earns half of workers in the Roanoke area; the top 25% start at $68,640 and the top 10% at $100,390. Prices run 6% below the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $93,620 here.
Is Roanoke expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the Roanoke metro is 93.6 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 78.5, goods 96.8, utilities 88.9. At local prices the median wage is worth $50,350, 214th of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Roanoke?
By mean annual wage: Pediatrician, General ($220,750), Optometrist ($219,610), Financial Manager ($172,410), IT Manager ($166,670), Marketing Manager ($160,310) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).