Fastest growing jobs in Virginia, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in Virginia. Percent growth favours small occupations, so the openings column is often the more useful number — a fast-growing job with few openings is harder to enter than a flat one with many.

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

1Nurse Practitioners$127,810
Master's degree
$99,990 – $161,470+48.2%
2Data Scientists$126,430
Bachelor's degree
$76,420 – $207,890+31.9%
3Physical Therapist Assistants$73,760
Associate's degree
$54,170 – $93,600+30.0%
4Information Security Analysts$134,900
Bachelor's degree
$81,410 – $205,750+29.5%
5Occupational Therapy Assistants$74,960
Associate's degree
$57,250 – $89,560+27.9%
6Statisticians$114,920
Master's degree
$59,340 – $178,400+26.6%
7Medical and Health Services Managers$129,270
Bachelor's degree
$80,250 – $213,810+26.5%
8Physician Assistants$135,940
Master's degree
$98,330 – $213,010+25.4%
9Animal Trainers$62,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,270 – $122,170+24.2%
10Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$82,550
Doctoral or professional degree
$57,380 – $118,110+23.5%
11Home Health and Personal Care Aides$30,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,980 – $40,650+23.4%
12Cooks, Restaurant$36,750
No formal educational credential
$29,340 – $45,740+23.3%
13Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$106,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,560 – $312,350+22.9%
14Massage Therapists$62,220
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,070 – $119,570+21.5%
15Software Developers$136,460
Bachelor's degree
$83,350 – $211,930+20.9%
16Speech-Language Pathologists$96,250
Master's degree
$66,890 – $132,400+20.6%
17Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$59,880
Master's degree
$39,730 – $100,040+20.1%
18Actuaries$131,900
Bachelor's degree
$82,120 – $212,740+19.9%
19Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$59,060
Associate's degree
$40,290 – $131,710+19.9%
20Animal Caretakers$34,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,050 – $46,180+18.8%
21Taxi Drivers$28,490
No formal educational credential
$26,270 – $60,070+18.5%
22Operations Research Analysts$129,460
Bachelor's degree
$71,820 – $194,260+18.0%
23Medical Equipment Repairers$61,070
Associate's degree
$44,010 – $97,320+17.3%
24Therapists, All Other$70,890
Bachelor's degree
$49,050 – $245,320+17.1%
25Computer and Information Research Scientists$157,390
Master's degree
$96,300 – $230,630+16.5%
26Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$121,590
Bachelor's degree
$78,820 – $169,200+16.5%
27Counselors, All Other$76,450
Master's degree
$49,030 – $166,960+16.3%
28Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$37,140
Associate's degree
$30,290 – $60,710+16.1%
29Mechanical Door Repairers$50,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,440 – $76,710+16.0%
30Marriage and Family Therapists$79,900
Master's degree
$49,720 – $103,330+15.8%
31Industrial Machinery Mechanics$64,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,060 – $92,210+15.7%
32Forensic Science Technicians$68,900
Bachelor's degree
$49,390 – $125,740+15.6%
33Physical Therapists$101,450
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,720 – $132,860+15.1%
34Logging Equipment Operators$46,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,980 – $72,220+15.1%
35Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers$37,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,430 – $48,580+15.0%
36Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$40,920
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,170 – $52,280+14.9%
37Logisticians$98,920
Bachelor's degree
$64,000 – $156,750+14.9%
38Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$121,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,910 – $224,190+14.6%
39Web Developers$128,380
Bachelor's degree
$76,640 – $178,230+14.5%
40Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$52,090
Associate's degree
$35,590 – $75,770+14.4%
41Personal Care and Service Workers, All Other$33,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,330 – $44,860+14.4%
42Veterinarians$126,730
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,350 – $220,170+14.0%
43Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$79,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$46,210 – $154,320+13.9%
44Industrial Engineers$102,550
Bachelor's degree
$69,880 – $157,160+13.5%
45Personal Financial Advisors$102,640
Bachelor's degree
$51,440 – $420,980+13.5%
46Shampooers$28,920
No formal educational credential
$25,810 – $37,340+13.3%
47Financial Managers$185,220
Bachelor's degree
$108,760 – $323,300+12.9%
48Medical Assistants$44,740
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,090 – $52,000+12.8%
49Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$95,660
Associate's degree
$77,540 – $122,930+12.6%
50Web and Digital Interface Designers$77,140
Bachelor's degree
$42,080 – $140,490+12.5%

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	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$127,810	$99,990 – $161,470	+48.2%
2	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$126,430	$76,420 – $207,890	+31.9%
3	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$73,760	$54,170 – $93,600	+30.0%
4	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$134,900	$81,410 – $205,750	+29.5%
5	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$74,960	$57,250 – $89,560	+27.9%
6	StatisticiansMaster's degree	$114,920	$59,340 – $178,400	+26.6%
7	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$129,270	$80,250 – $213,810	+26.5%
8	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$135,940	$98,330 – $213,010	+25.4%
9	Animal TrainersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,960	$35,270 – $122,170	+24.2%
10	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$82,550	$57,380 – $118,110	+23.5%
11	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30,300	$26,980 – $40,650	+23.4%
12	Cooks, RestaurantNo formal educational credential	$36,750	$29,340 – $45,740	+23.3%
13	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$106,880	$62,560 – $312,350	+22.9%
14	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,220	$38,070 – $119,570	+21.5%
15	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$136,460	$83,350 – $211,930	+20.9%
16	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$96,250	$66,890 – $132,400	+20.6%
17	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$59,880	$39,730 – $100,040	+20.1%
18	ActuariesBachelor's degree	$131,900	$82,120 – $212,740	+19.9%
19	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$59,060	$40,290 – $131,710	+19.9%
20	Animal CaretakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34,380	$28,050 – $46,180	+18.8%
21	Taxi DriversNo formal educational credential	$28,490	$26,270 – $60,070	+18.5%
22	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$129,460	$71,820 – $194,260	+18.0%
23	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$61,070	$44,010 – $97,320	+17.3%
24	Therapists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$70,890	$49,050 – $245,320	+17.1%
25	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$157,390	$96,300 – $230,630	+16.5%
26	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$121,590	$78,820 – $169,200	+16.5%
27	Counselors, All OtherMaster's degree	$76,450	$49,030 – $166,960	+16.3%
28	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$37,140	$30,290 – $60,710	+16.1%
29	Mechanical Door RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,880	$38,440 – $76,710	+16.0%
30	Marriage and Family TherapistsMaster's degree	$79,900	$49,720 – $103,330	+15.8%
31	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,020	$46,060 – $92,210	+15.7%
32	Forensic Science TechniciansBachelor's degree	$68,900	$49,390 – $125,740	+15.6%
33	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,450	$75,720 – $132,860	+15.1%
34	Logging Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,090	$30,980 – $72,220	+15.1%
35	Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal CaretakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,450	$30,430 – $48,580	+15.0%
36	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$40,920	$36,170 – $52,280	+14.9%
37	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$98,920	$64,000 – $156,750	+14.9%
38	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$121,880	$62,910 – $224,190	+14.6%
39	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$128,380	$76,640 – $178,230	+14.5%
40	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$52,090	$35,590 – $75,770	+14.4%
41	Personal Care and Service Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$33,910	$26,330 – $44,860	+14.4%
42	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$126,730	$63,350 – $220,170	+14.0%
43	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$79,190	$46,210 – $154,320	+13.9%
44	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,550	$69,880 – $157,160	+13.5%
45	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$102,640	$51,440 – $420,980	+13.5%
46	ShampooersNo formal educational credential	$28,920	$25,810 – $37,340	+13.3%
47	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$185,220	$108,760 – $323,300	+12.9%
48	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$44,740	$37,090 – $52,000	+12.8%
49	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$95,660	$77,540 – $122,930	+12.6%
50	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$77,140	$42,080 – $140,490	+12.5%

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 growing jobs in Virginia, 2024–34

More for Virginia

Metro areas in Virginia

By field in Virginia

Without a degree

Fastest growing jobs in each state, 2024–34