Virginia Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across Virginia.
The average salary in Virginia is $110,020 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2025 data aggregated across 1 metropolitan areas (Richmond). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $224,240 median; 38 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 102, the average median equates to $107,863 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Virginia has 1 metropolitan areas in our BLS OEWS coverage. Wages within the state vary substantially by metro — large coastal cities typically pay materially more than smaller inland ones, though the cost-of-living gap closes a lot of the apparent difference. BLS OEWS data captures every metropolitan statistical area (MSA) above a population threshold. Cities below that threshold roll up to non-metropolitan areas, which are not represented in the per-metro view but are captured in state-level rollups.
For workers comparing Virginia job markets, the per-metro pages give the role-specific breakdown that headline state averages obscure. The role-specific ranking pages — which list the highest-paying cities for a single occupation — are particularly useful when geographic flexibility is real and the role is the constraint.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Virginia
Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Healthcare · 250 jobs in state · top metro: Richmond ($224,240)
Dentist
Healthcare · 650 jobs in state · top metro: Richmond ($218,880)
Family Medicine Physician
Healthcare · 410 jobs in state · top metro: Richmond ($208,750)
Computer and Information Systems Manager
Technology · 1,900 jobs in state · top metro: Richmond ($180,640)
Marketing Manager
Management · 1,090 jobs in state · top metro: Richmond ($174,130)
Financial Manager
Finance · 3,480 jobs in state · top metro: Richmond ($173,140)
Sales Manager
Management · 1,320 jobs in state · top metro: Richmond ($168,590)
Pediatrician
Healthcare · 130 jobs in state · top metro: Richmond ($165,370)
Software Quality Assurance Analyst
Technology · 160 jobs in state · top metro: Richmond ($162,910)
Human Resources Manager
Management · 960 jobs in state · top metro: Richmond ($152,190)
Cities in Virginia
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in Virginia is $110,020 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release aggregated across 1 BLS-tracked metros. The figure is employment-weighted, so larger occupations contribute proportionally more to the average. The top-paying role in the state is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $224,240 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in Virginia, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Obstetrician/Gynecologist ($224,240), Dentist ($218,880), Family Medicine Physician ($208,750), Computer and Information Systems Manager ($180,640), Marketing Manager ($174,130). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/virginia.
38 of the 65 BLS-tracked occupations in Virginia have a state-aggregated median salary of $100,000 or higher. That places this state in the upper tier nationally.
Richmond, VA leads Virginia with an average median salary of $110,020 across 65 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across Virginia's tracked metros is 102 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $110,020 translates to $107,863 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. COL is roughly in line with the national average.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in Virginia, using the OEWS 2025 reference period.
65 data points · BLS OEWS 2025 · last refreshed 2026-05-21
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.