Fastest declining jobs in Virginia, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in Virginia, most negative first. A declining projection does not mean a job is disappearing — most of these still hire steadily to replace people who leave.

State projections are produced by Virginia's own workforce agency and collected by Projections Central — the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes projections only at the national level. Methodology varies by state, so these are not directly comparable with the national figures. Wages remain BLS OEWS.

Cost of living: prices in Virginia run 1.1% above the national average (2024), so a Virginia salary is worth about 0.99× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Virginia.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Virginia

OccupationMedian, Virginia · Growth 2024–34

1Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$55,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,750 – $89,320-25.6%
2Data Entry Keyers$38,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,010 – $54,670-25.0%
3Tellers$45,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,640 – $50,050-21.0%
4Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$80,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,370 – $119,990-20.7%
5Engine and Other Machine Assemblers$36,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,750 – $62,530-17.8%
6Order Clerks$42,580
Some college, no degree
$35,140 – $61,620-17.8%
7Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$58,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,890 – $78,800-16.0%
8File Clerks$39,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $56,970-15.3%
9Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$53,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,510 – $79,870-15.2%
10Computer Programmers$121,610
Bachelor's degree
$67,010 – $182,890-13.6%
11Office Machine Operators, Except Computer$41,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,550 – $61,210-13.4%
12Telemarketers$37,440
No formal educational credential
$30,960 – $62,050-13.0%
13Brokerage Clerks$62,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,850 – $96,070-11.3%
14Cooks, Fast Food$29,950
No formal educational credential
$27,400 – $37,730-11.3%
15Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers$44,750
Some college, no degree
$36,080 – $68,480-11.3%
16Sewing Machine Operators$35,790
No formal educational credential
$27,470 – $46,760-11.2%
17Print Binding and Finishing Workers$42,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,220 – $62,210-11.0%
18Dental Laboratory Technicians$51,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,100 – $89,490-10.9%
19Credit Analysts$102,430
Bachelor's degree
$63,220 – $164,750-10.5%
20Medical Transcriptionists$35,130
Postsecondary nondegree award
$27,110 – $43,400-10.5%
21Bill and Account Collectors$43,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,160 – $64,100-10.0%
22Procurement Clerks$54,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,120 – $69,240-9.9%
23Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers$44,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,970 – $57,400-9.9%
24Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,040 – $66,700-9.9%
25Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$59,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,990 – $76,910-9.4%
26Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$35,580
No formal educational credential
$29,130 – $45,700-9.3%
27Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,800 – $64,180-9.2%
28Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$64,540
Bachelor's degree
$47,570 – $104,190-9.0%
29Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers$46,060
No formal educational credential
$29,550 – $71,820-9.0%
30Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,550 – $60,680-9.0%
31Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$44,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,020 – $64,050-8.7%
32Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$58,300
No formal educational credential
$45,530 – $75,280-8.6%
33Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$53,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,690 – $79,230-8.6%
34Loan Interviewers and Clerks$50,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,510 – $71,930-8.3%
35Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan$44,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,070 – $59,070-8.1%
36Helpers--Production Workers$37,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,000 – $52,000-8.1%
37Buyers and Purchasing Agents$89,210
Bachelor's degree
$51,350 – $149,150-7.8%
38Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products$34,860
No formal educational credential
$34,600 – $44,110-7.8%
39Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers$56,310
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,640 – $73,010-7.5%
40Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$51,950
Associate's degree
$38,690 – $69,640-7.0%
41Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service$36,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,140 – $53,250-6.6%
42Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$43,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,310 – $60,410-6.3%
43Printing Press Operators$44,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,530 – $64,020-6.3%
44News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$62,140
Bachelor's degree
$39,270 – $134,080-6.2%
45Amusement and Recreation Attendants$30,910
No formal educational credential
$25,900 – $44,830-6.2%
46Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$49,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,470 – $62,510-6.2%
47Cashiers$30,580
No formal educational credential
$27,040 – $37,450-6.0%
48Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,990 – $58,660-5.9%
49Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$51,620
Some college, no degree
$36,610 – $72,860-5.7%
50Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$44,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,290 – $60,720-5.5%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianVirginia	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	Legal Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,320	$33,750 – $89,320	-25.6%
2	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,900	$28,010 – $54,670	-25.0%
3	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,120	$34,640 – $50,050	-21.0%
4	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,330	$51,370 – $119,990	-20.7%
5	Engine and Other Machine AssemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,030	$32,750 – $62,530	-17.8%
6	Order ClerksSome college, no degree	$42,580	$35,140 – $61,620	-17.8%
7	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,250	$43,890 – $78,800	-16.0%
8	File ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,900	$31,200 – $56,970	-15.3%
9	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,940	$43,510 – $79,870	-15.2%
10	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$121,610	$67,010 – $182,890	-13.6%
11	Office Machine Operators, Except ComputerHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,920	$28,550 – $61,210	-13.4%
12	TelemarketersNo formal educational credential	$37,440	$30,960 – $62,050	-13.0%
13	Brokerage ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,560	$49,850 – $96,070	-11.3%
14	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$29,950	$27,400 – $37,730	-11.3%
15	Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine RepairersSome college, no degree	$44,750	$36,080 – $68,480	-11.3%
16	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$35,790	$27,470 – $46,760	-11.2%
17	Print Binding and Finishing WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,780	$30,220 – $62,210	-11.0%
18	Dental Laboratory TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,900	$36,100 – $89,490	-10.9%
19	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$102,430	$63,220 – $164,750	-10.5%
20	Medical TranscriptionistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$35,130	$27,110 – $43,400	-10.5%
21	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,770	$31,160 – $64,100	-10.0%
22	Procurement ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,660	$42,120 – $69,240	-9.9%
23	Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,720	$32,970 – $57,400	-9.9%
24	Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,620	$34,040 – $66,700	-9.9%
25	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,970	$41,990 – $76,910	-9.4%
26	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$35,580	$29,130 – $45,700	-9.3%
27	Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,450	$37,800 – $64,180	-9.2%
28	Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsBachelor's degree	$64,540	$47,570 – $104,190	-9.0%
29	Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom SewersNo formal educational credential	$46,060	$29,550 – $71,820	-9.0%
30	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,300	$36,550 – $60,680	-9.0%
31	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,290	$33,020 – $64,050	-8.7%
32	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$58,300	$45,530 – $75,280	-8.6%
33	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,170	$38,690 – $79,230	-8.6%
34	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,140	$37,510 – $71,930	-8.3%
35	Interviewers, Except Eligibility and LoanHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,280	$32,070 – $59,070	-8.1%
36	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,740	$31,000 – $52,000	-8.1%
37	Buyers and Purchasing AgentsBachelor's degree	$89,210	$51,350 – $149,150	-7.8%
38	Graders and Sorters, Agricultural ProductsNo formal educational credential	$34,860	$34,600 – $44,110	-7.8%
39	Audiovisual Equipment Installers and RepairersPostsecondary nondegree award	$56,310	$38,640 – $73,010	-7.5%
40	Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and TimekeepingAssociate's degree	$51,950	$38,690 – $69,640	-7.0%
41	Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal ServiceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,780	$27,140 – $53,250	-6.6%
42	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,170	$29,310 – $60,410	-6.3%
43	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,020	$30,530 – $64,020	-6.3%
44	News Analysts, Reporters, and JournalistsBachelor's degree	$62,140	$39,270 – $134,080	-6.2%
45	Amusement and Recreation AttendantsNo formal educational credential	$30,910	$25,900 – $44,830	-6.2%
46	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,160	$37,470 – $62,510	-6.2%
47	CashiersNo formal educational credential	$30,580	$27,040 – $37,450	-6.0%
48	Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,770	$36,990 – $58,660	-5.9%
49	Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksSome college, no degree	$51,620	$36,610 – $72,860	-5.7%
50	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,900	$32,290 – $60,720	-5.5%

More for Virginia

Metro areas in Virginia

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Virginia

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Virginia to rank honestly.

Fastest declining jobs in Virginia, 2024–34

More for Virginia

Metro areas in Virginia

By field in Virginia

Without a degree

Fastest declining jobs in each state, 2024–34