High paying jobs in Virginia

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Virginia. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

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 · Employed

1Chief Executives$310,740
Bachelor's degree
$130,000 – $604,0904,870
2Physicians, All Other$278,530
Doctoral or professional degree
$103,490 – $417,0708,480
3Family Medicine Physicians$222,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$103,720 – $443,0102,930
4Computer and Information Systems Managers$201,490
Bachelor's degree
$133,320 – $300,72017,550
5Dentists, General$197,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,400 – $321,2504,140
6Sales Managers$191,130
Bachelor's degree
$94,710 – $302,9009,670
7Marketing Managers$187,820
Bachelor's degree
$107,710 – $292,4306,890
8Financial Managers$185,220
Bachelor's degree
$108,760 – $323,30020,850
9Public Relations Managers$176,340
Bachelor's degree
$106,880 – $312,0402,610
10Architectural and Engineering Managers$176,160
Bachelor's degree
$124,830 – $253,0604,390
11Lawyers$167,210
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,330 – $320,22018,580
12Managers, All Other$166,230
Bachelor's degree
$110,100 – $224,04021,560
13Purchasing Managers$166,230
Bachelor's degree
$109,270 – $222,2303,540
14Human Resources Managers$165,980
Bachelor's degree
$105,130 – $272,0705,770
15Database Architects$160,360
Bachelor's degree
$105,210 – $210,1605,260
16Computer and Information Research Scientists$157,390
Master's degree
$96,300 – $230,6303,590
17Natural Sciences Managers$150,570
Bachelor's degree
$84,080 – $212,6201,470
18Engineers, All Other$148,160
Bachelor's degree
$84,590 – $195,1905,060
19Pharmacists$144,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$106,800 – $173,5507,980
20Aerospace Engineers$143,210
Bachelor's degree
$95,420 – $226,9502,540
21Computer Network Architects$141,340
Bachelor's degree
$85,050 – $210,1809,380
22Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$140,670
Bachelor's degree
$82,660 – $218,0403,380
23Computer Occupations, All Other$139,030
Bachelor's degree
$77,130 – $185,95017,000
24Computer Hardware Engineers$139,030
Bachelor's degree
$87,630 – $195,2901,720
25Software Developers$136,460
Bachelor's degree
$83,350 – $211,93088,280
26Physician Assistants$135,940
Master's degree
$98,330 – $213,0104,340
27Information Security Analysts$134,900
Bachelor's degree
$81,410 – $205,75019,120
28Administrative Services Managers$130,850
Bachelor's degree
$78,540 – $221,0502,850
29Operations Research Analysts$129,460
Bachelor's degree
$71,820 – $194,2606,980
30Medical and Health Services Managers$129,270
Bachelor's degree
$80,250 – $213,81010,210
31Web Developers$128,380
Bachelor's degree
$76,640 – $178,2304,590
32Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$128,270
Bachelor's degree
$67,450 – $203,3806,060
33Industrial Production Managers$128,230
Bachelor's degree
$83,390 – $206,8202,570
34Nurse Practitioners$127,810
Master's degree
$99,990 – $161,4707,110
35Veterinarians$126,730
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,350 – $220,1702,700
36Financial Risk Specialists$126,510
Bachelor's degree
$77,080 – $191,7201,770
37Data Scientists$126,430
Bachelor's degree
$76,420 – $207,8908,920
38General and Operations Managers$122,080
Bachelor's degree
$56,400 – $261,060103,590
39Computer Programmers$121,610
Bachelor's degree
$67,010 – $182,8903,070
40Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$121,590
Bachelor's degree
$78,820 – $169,20010,160
41Project Management Specialists$120,840
Bachelor's degree
$68,020 – $179,97043,860
42Computer Systems Analysts$120,840
Bachelor's degree
$73,160 – $179,92023,190
43Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$119,990
Bachelor's degree
$80,700 – $176,4903,280
44Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$119,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$77,010 – $205,6403,380
45Construction Managers$119,110
Bachelor's degree
$79,940 – $183,9807,290
46Electrical Engineers$119,030
Bachelor's degree
$80,320 – $173,4007,260
47Management Analysts$117,580
Bachelor's degree
$66,140 – $174,70059,620
48Facilities Managers$116,540
Bachelor's degree
$76,920 – $191,3102,950
49Detectives and Criminal Investigators$112,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,730 – $195,1903,180
50Network and Computer Systems Administrators$109,610
Bachelor's degree
$69,580 – $170,11012,430

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	Employed
1	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$310,740	$130,000 – $604,090	4,870
2	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$278,530	$103,490 – $417,070	8,480
3	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$222,630	$103,720 – $443,010	2,930
4	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$201,490	$133,320 – $300,720	17,550
5	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$197,110	$105,400 – $321,250	4,140
6	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$191,130	$94,710 – $302,900	9,670
7	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$187,820	$107,710 – $292,430	6,890
8	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$185,220	$108,760 – $323,300	20,850
9	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$176,340	$106,880 – $312,040	2,610
10	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$176,160	$124,830 – $253,060	4,390
11	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$167,210	$79,330 – $320,220	18,580
12	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$166,230	$110,100 – $224,040	21,560
13	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$166,230	$109,270 – $222,230	3,540
14	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$165,980	$105,130 – $272,070	5,770
15	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$160,360	$105,210 – $210,160	5,260
16	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$157,390	$96,300 – $230,630	3,590
17	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$150,570	$84,080 – $212,620	1,470
18	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$148,160	$84,590 – $195,190	5,060
19	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$144,060	$106,800 – $173,550	7,980
20	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$143,210	$95,420 – $226,950	2,540
21	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$141,340	$85,050 – $210,180	9,380
22	Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$140,670	$82,660 – $218,040	3,380
23	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$139,030	$77,130 – $185,950	17,000
24	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$139,030	$87,630 – $195,290	1,720
25	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$136,460	$83,350 – $211,930	88,280
26	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$135,940	$98,330 – $213,010	4,340
27	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$134,900	$81,410 – $205,750	19,120
28	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$130,850	$78,540 – $221,050	2,850
29	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$129,460	$71,820 – $194,260	6,980
30	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$129,270	$80,250 – $213,810	10,210
31	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$128,380	$76,640 – $178,230	4,590
32	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$128,270	$67,450 – $203,380	6,060
33	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$128,230	$83,390 – $206,820	2,570
34	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$127,810	$99,990 – $161,470	7,110
35	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$126,730	$63,350 – $220,170	2,700
36	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$126,510	$77,080 – $191,720	1,770
37	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$126,430	$76,420 – $207,890	8,920
38	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$122,080	$56,400 – $261,060	103,590
39	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$121,610	$67,010 – $182,890	3,070
40	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$121,590	$78,820 – $169,200	10,160
41	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$120,840	$68,020 – $179,970	43,860
42	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$120,840	$73,160 – $179,920	23,190
43	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$119,990	$80,700 – $176,490	3,280
44	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$119,140	$77,010 – $205,640	3,380
45	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$119,110	$79,940 – $183,980	7,290
46	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$119,030	$80,320 – $173,400	7,260
47	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$117,580	$66,140 – $174,700	59,620
48	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$116,540	$76,920 – $191,310	2,950
49	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$112,760	$62,730 – $195,190	3,180
50	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$109,610	$69,580 – $170,110	12,430

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Virginia. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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.

High paying jobs in Virginia

More for Virginia

Metro areas in Virginia

By field in Virginia

Without a degree

By state