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Average Salary in Virginia
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Virginia, occupation by occupation, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for May 2024. BLS publishes wage estimates for 713 occupations in Virginia. For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage in May 2024 was $67,920, the median wage was $23.80 an hour, and total U.S. employment covered by the survey was 154,187,380 jobs. Use the tables below to see Virginia's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Virginia jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Virginia
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Virginia is cardiologists, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 540.2% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 510 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Virginia pays 0.5% higher for this work. Next on the list are chief executives at a mean of $239,200+ and anesthesiologists at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 5,300 people in Virginia, so they describe the top of the Virginia wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiologists | 510 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Chief Executives | 4,620 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Anesthesiologists | 170 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Surgeons, All Other | 290 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Psychiatrists | 390 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, Pathologists | 90 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, All Other | 7,680 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Orthodontists | 260 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | 70 | $105.51 | $219,460 | $228,290 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 3,480 | $105.53 | $219,500 | $220,010 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 980 | $96.14 | $199,960 | $206,270 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 18,740 | $92.73 | $192,870 | $202,070 |
| Pediatricians, General | 1,220 | $90.90 | $189,070 | $200,990 |
| Dentists, General | 3,890 | $87.77 | $182,570 | $192,880 |
| Marketing Managers | 7,170 | $85.22 | $177,250 | $188,500 |
Largest occupations in Virginia
The occupation with the most jobs in Virginia is fast food and counter workers, employing an estimated 103,390 people at a median annual wage of $29,060 and a mean of $30,890. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $30,480, so Virginia's typical pay for this work runs 4.7% lower. The next-largest occupations are retail salespersons (101,260 jobs, median $32,760) and general and operations managers (99,710 jobs, median $121,530). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Virginia pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 103,390 | $29,060 | $30,890 |
| Retail Salespersons | 101,260 | $32,760 | $36,350 |
| General and Operations Managers | 99,710 | $121,530 | $140,090 |
| Cashiers | 84,500 | $29,840 | $31,260 |
| Software Developers | 83,290 | $134,470 | $142,230 |
| Registered Nurses | 77,420 | $88,820 | $90,930 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 68,080 | $36,230 | $38,470 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 64,720 | $33,970 | $34,840 |
| Management Analysts | 64,710 | $109,650 | $123,280 |
| Office Clerks, General | 62,540 | $45,130 | $47,510 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 62,280 | $39,210 | $43,560 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 61,680 | $29,190 | $31,430 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 61,260 | $36,990 | $43,130 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 55,430 | $54,500 | $56,990 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 53,180 | $39,240 | $41,940 |
Where Virginia pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Virginia median with its own national median shows where Virginia's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Virginia jobs, the largest premium is for legal support workers, all other: a median of $176,950 in Virginia versus $68,760 nationally, 157.3% higher. The largest discount is for web and digital interface designers, at $66,240 in Virginia versus $98,090 nationally, 32.5% lower. In total, 208 of the 422 occupations with 1,000 or more Virginia jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 264 of the 713 occupations published for Virginia have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Virginia's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Virginia median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Support Workers, All Other | $176,950 | $68,760 | +157.3% |
| Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other | $144,320 | $100,340 | +43.8% |
| Bartenders | $46,860 | $33,530 | +39.8% |
| Operations Research Analysts | $123,050 | $91,290 | +34.8% |
| Education Administrators, All Other | $115,340 | $89,040 | +29.5% |
| Ship Engineers | $81,970 | $101,320 | -19.1% |
| Travel Agents | $37,860 | $48,450 | -21.9% |
| Protective Service Workers, All Other | $32,080 | $41,600 | -22.9% |
| Real Estate Brokers | $55,660 | $72,280 | -23.0% |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $66,240 | $98,090 | -32.5% |
Virginia salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Virginia?
By average pay, cardiologists is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Virginia, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Virginia?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Virginia, the largest occupation, fast food and counter workers, paid a median of $29,060 across 103,390 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 713 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Virginia have?
Fast Food and Counter Workers is the largest occupation published for Virginia, with an estimated 103,390 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $30,890.
Which occupations pay more in Virginia than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Virginia jobs, legal support workers, all other shows the largest premium: a median of $176,950 in Virginia versus $68,760 nationally, 157.3% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.