Pay data
Average Salary in Virginia (2026)
The average salary in Virginia is $74,040 a year and the median is $55,690, 9% above the US median (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices that median is worth $55,080: 17th of the 50 states and DC by median wage, 15th once local prices are taken into account.
- Average (mean) salary
- $74,040US $69,770
- Median salary
- $55,690US $50,980
- Median hourly wage
- $26.78BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 101.1US = 100 · BEA 2024
Calculator
Where does your salary rank in Virginia?
About the 64th percentile
You earn more than about 64% of workers in Virginia.
At Virginia prices, $75,000 buys what $74,180 buys at the national average, about the 70th percentile nationally.
Interpolated between the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentile wages BLS publishes for all occupations (OEWS, May 2025). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed. Price comparison uses BEA Regional Price Parities.
The spread
What Virginia workers earn
| Percentile | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $30,530 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $37,720 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $55,690 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $89,420 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $139,010 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $74,040 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Virginia
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states (US = 100). Virginia sits at 101.1 overall, with housing at 106.8. To live the way $100,000 pays for at national-average prices, you would need about $101,100 here. Compare any two states or metros.
US = 100
- All items1% above US101.1
- Housing (rents)7% above US106.8
- Goodsthe same as US100.4
- Utilities8% below US92.2
- Other servicesthe same as US100.2
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 101.1 |
| Housing (rents) | 106.8 |
| Goods | 100.4 |
| Utilities | 92.2 |
| Other services | 100.2 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
By field
Average salary in Virginia by occupation group
| Occupation group | Median | vs US | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $141,720 | +12% | 266,570 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $128,700 | +18% | 248,190 |
| Legal | $110,300 | +8% | 36,930 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $100,380 | +1% | 76,470 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $95,010 | +15% | 387,820 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $87,270 | +1% | 230,590 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $85,670 | +4% | 43,270 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $62,540 | 0% | 52,910 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $61,100 | +1% | 252,970 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $59,820 | 0% | 155,070 |
| Community and Social Service | $59,470 | +2% | 67,270 |
| Construction and Extraction | $56,460 | -5% | 176,990 |
| Protective Service | $51,120 | +2% | 114,200 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $47,180 | -1% | 426,040 |
| Production | $46,750 | -1% | 163,860 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $44,270 | 0% | 325,070 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $41,000 | +12% | 4,800 |
| Healthcare Support | $37,610 | -2% | 162,910 |
| Sales | $37,420 | -3% | 355,320 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $36,010 | -4% | 128,150 |
| Personal Care and Service | $35,710 | -2% | 94,200 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $35,110 | 0% | 339,730 |
The jobs
The jobs behind Virginia's pay
The most common jobs set the median; the best-paid set the top; the most over-represented jobs show what the state's economy specialises in (location quotient: the state's share of jobs in an occupation over the national share).
Most common jobs
By employment
- 1Fast Food and Counter Worker104,460
- 2General and Operations Manager103,590
- 3Retail Salesperson100,290
- 4Software Developer88,280
- 5Cashier83,890
- 6Registered Nurse77,490
- 7Stocker and Order Filler69,660
- 8Office Clerk, General66,550
- 9Janitor and Cleaner, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners65,970
- 10Customer Service Representative59,850
Highest-paying jobs
Median, 500+ workers
- 1Cardiologist$461,450
- 2Chief Executive$310,740
- 3Allergist and Immunologist$278,530
- 4Nurse Anesthetist$252,110
- 5Family Medicine Physician$222,630
- 6IT Manager$201,490
- 7Dentist$197,110
- 8Pediatrician, General$195,940
- 9Air Traffic Controller$191,820
- 10Sales Manager$191,130
Most over-represented
Location quotient, 1,000+ workers
- 1Layout Worker, Metal and Plastic6.8x
- 2Ship Engineer6.5x
- 3Information Security Analyst3.8x
- 4Computer and Information Research Scientist3.6x
- 5Sailor and Marine Oiler3.5x
- 6Transportation Planner3.5x
- 7Rigger3.2x
- 8Database Administrator3.2x
- 9Database Architect3.0x
- 10Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender2.6x
Cities
Average salary by city in Virginia
| Metro area | Median | Mean | Price level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville, VA | $55,180 | $74,000 | 99.1 |
| Richmond, VA | $51,460 | $68,400 | 97.9 |
| Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $49,430 | $64,130 | 97.9 |
| Blacksburg, VA | $48,120 | $61,090 | 92.7 |
| Staunton, VA | $48,040 | $57,310 | 91.1 |
| Roanoke, VA | $47,140 | $60,590 | 93.6 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | $47,070 | $60,410 | 96.5 |
| Lynchburg, VA | $46,190 | $57,880 | 89.4 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | $46,110 | $56,890 | 94.9 |
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States with similar pay
Method
About these numbers
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all occupations in Virginia. Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Wages are straight-time pay before tax, including commissions and tips, excluding overtime premiums, bonuses and benefits.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Virginia: FAQ
What is the average salary in Virginia?
The average (mean) annual wage in Virginia is $74,040 and the median is $55,690, 9% above the US median of $50,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 4,109,320 wage and salary workers in all occupations.
What is the average hourly wage in Virginia?
$35.60 an hour on average and $26.78 at the median (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What is a good salary in Virginia?
Above $55,690 out-earns half of Virginia workers; the top 25% start at $89,420 and the top 10% at $139,010 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Prices in Virginia run 1% above the national average (BEA, 2024), so $100,000 here buys about what $98,910 buys nationally.
Is Virginia expensive to live in?
BEA puts overall prices in Virginia at 101.1 against a US average of 100 (2024). Housing is 106.8, goods 100.4, utilities 92.2 and other services 100.2. To match a $100,000 national-average lifestyle you would need about $101,100 here.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Virginia?
Cardiologist ($461,450), Chief Executive ($310,740), Allergist and Immunologist ($278,530), Nurse Anesthetist ($252,110), Family Medicine Physician ($222,630) have the highest median wages among occupations with at least 500 workers in Virginia (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What are the most common jobs in Virginia?
Fast Food and Counter Worker (104,460), General and Operations Manager (103,590), Retail Salesperson (100,290), Software Developer (88,280), Cashier (83,890) employ the most people (BLS OEWS, May 2025).