Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA

Each occupation's median wage in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA run 7.3% below the national average (2024), so a Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA salary is worth about 1.08× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA

OccupationMedian, Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA · vs. national

1Coaches and Scouts$65,270
Bachelor's degree
$30,070 – $226,650+37.9%
2Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$66,710
Bachelor's degree
$50,240 – $104,360+31.1%
3Bartenders$43,070
No formal educational credential
$26,900 – $76,430+25.4%
4Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$46,440
No formal educational credential
$30,990 – $60,300+15.4%
5Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$76,390
Bachelor's degree
$49,710 – $96,250+15.3%
6Fundraising Managers$143,730
Bachelor's degree
$80,380 – $233,690+14.6%
7Loan Officers$85,610
Bachelor's degree
$39,170 – $118,290+11.6%
8Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$51,960
Associate's degree
$34,520 – $65,900+9.7%
9Emergency Medical Technicians$48,320
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,010 – $59,870+8.7%
10Sales Managers$160,830
Bachelor's degree
$74,160 – $257,660+8.5%
11Fundraisers$78,200
Bachelor's degree
$48,720 – $112,020+7.8%
12Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$49,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,660 – $60,180+7.5%
13Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,710 – $61,110+7.4%
14Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$57,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,510 – $62,820+7.3%
15Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$74,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,010 – $177,120+7.1%
16Waiters and Waitresses$37,670
No formal educational credential
$26,640 – $60,090+6.9%
17Physical Therapist Assistants$73,000
Associate's degree
$52,160 – $101,240+6.8%
18First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services$51,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,510 – $73,980+6.0%
19Chemists$96,650
Bachelor's degree
$56,610 – $153,810+5.9%
20Social and Community Service Managers$84,900
Bachelor's degree
$59,370 – $105,060+5.6%
21Logisticians$86,120
Bachelor's degree
$63,480 – $112,990+4.6%
22First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$77,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,420 – $117,410+4.5%
23Production Workers, All Other$41,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,360 – $55,450+3.7%
24First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$90,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,060 – $168,820+3.5%
25Postal Service Mail Carriers$62,390
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040+3.0%
26Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$45,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,390 – $62,860+2.9%
27Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$61,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,090 – $80,280+2.7%
28Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$51,950
Associate's degree
$32,130 – $60,700+2.6%
29Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$44,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,830 – $46,690+2.3%
30Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$57,900
Bachelor's degree
$35,120 – $84,500+2.1%
31Machinists$59,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,690 – $79,340+2.0%
32Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$51,620
Some college, no degree
$36,750 – $65,000+1.9%
33Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$34,620
No formal educational credential
$27,370 – $36,510+1.9%
34Amusement and Recreation Attendants$32,580
No formal educational credential
$25,810 – $39,840+1.3%
35Industrial Machinery Mechanics$65,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,370 – $83,140+1.0%
36Couriers and Messengers$39,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,200 – $41,600+0.4%
37Bus Drivers, School$47,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,000 – $59,370+0.1%
38Funeral Attendants$35,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,180 – $43,880-0.1%
39Industrial Production Managers$125,400
Bachelor's degree
$83,780 – $195,550-0.5%
40Facilities Managers$105,950
Bachelor's degree
$77,120 – $168,810-0.7%
41Automotive Body and Related Repairers$54,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,630 – $98,590-1.0%
42Physical Therapists$101,750
Doctoral or professional degree
$68,100 – $117,840-1.0%
43Electricians$62,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,130 – $80,090-1.1%
44Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$37,030
No formal educational credential
$29,810 – $41,660-1.1%
45Occupational Therapists$98,800
Master's degree
$63,760 – $141,990-1.5%
46Highway Maintenance Workers$49,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,910 – $55,060-1.7%
47Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$61,100
Associate's degree
$46,850 – $76,490-1.9%
48Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,340 – $62,530-1.9%
49Counter and Rental Clerks$40,300
No formal educational credential
$28,180 – $74,940-2.4%
50Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers$38,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,230 – $60,600-2.5%

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

#	Occupation	MedianBlacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$65,270	$30,070 – $226,650	+37.9%
2	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$66,710	$50,240 – $104,360	+31.1%
3	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$43,070	$26,900 – $76,430	+25.4%
4	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$46,440	$30,990 – $60,300	+15.4%
5	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$76,390	$49,710 – $96,250	+15.3%
6	Fundraising ManagersBachelor's degree	$143,730	$80,380 – $233,690	+14.6%
7	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$85,610	$39,170 – $118,290	+11.6%
8	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$51,960	$34,520 – $65,900	+9.7%
9	Emergency Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,320	$37,010 – $59,870	+8.7%
10	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$160,830	$74,160 – $257,660	+8.5%
11	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$78,200	$48,720 – $112,020	+7.8%
12	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,100	$38,660 – $60,180	+7.5%
13	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,800	$40,710 – $61,110	+7.4%
14	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,650	$40,510 – $62,820	+7.3%
15	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,990	$45,010 – $177,120	+7.1%
16	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$37,670	$26,640 – $60,090	+6.9%
17	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$73,000	$52,160 – $101,240	+6.8%
18	First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling ServicesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,470	$36,510 – $73,980	+6.0%
19	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$96,650	$56,610 – $153,810	+5.9%
20	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$84,900	$59,370 – $105,060	+5.6%
21	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$86,120	$63,480 – $112,990	+4.6%
22	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,800	$46,420 – $117,410	+4.5%
23	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,580	$36,360 – $55,450	+3.7%
24	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$90,580	$46,060 – $168,820	+3.5%
25	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$62,390	$42,390 – $81,040	+3.0%
26	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,950	$37,390 – $62,860	+2.9%
27	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,240	$38,090 – $80,280	+2.7%
28	Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and TimekeepingAssociate's degree	$51,950	$32,130 – $60,700	+2.6%
29	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,220	$33,830 – $46,690	+2.3%
30	Community and Social Service Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$57,900	$35,120 – $84,500	+2.1%
31	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,920	$44,690 – $79,340	+2.0%
32	Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksSome college, no degree	$51,620	$36,750 – $65,000	+1.9%
33	Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender HelpersNo formal educational credential	$34,620	$27,370 – $36,510	+1.9%
34	Amusement and Recreation AttendantsNo formal educational credential	$32,580	$25,810 – $39,840	+1.3%
35	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,150	$45,370 – $83,140	+1.0%
36	Couriers and MessengersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,340	$30,200 – $41,600	+0.4%
37	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,970	$39,000 – $59,370	+0.1%
38	Funeral AttendantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35,650	$31,180 – $43,880	-0.1%
39	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$125,400	$83,780 – $195,550	-0.5%
40	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$105,950	$77,120 – $168,810	-0.7%
41	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,330	$38,630 – $98,590	-1.0%
42	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,750	$68,100 – $117,840	-1.0%
43	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,490	$39,130 – $80,090	-1.1%
44	Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaNo formal educational credential	$37,030	$29,810 – $41,660	-1.1%
45	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$98,800	$63,760 – $141,990	-1.5%
46	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,400	$36,910 – $55,060	-1.7%
47	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$61,100	$46,850 – $76,490	-1.9%
48	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,040	$38,340 – $62,530	-1.9%
49	Counter and Rental ClerksNo formal educational credential	$40,300	$28,180 – $74,940	-2.4%
50	Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,620	$30,230 – $60,600	-2.5%

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA

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