Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Harrisonburg, VA

Each occupation's median wage in Harrisonburg, 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 Harrisonburg, VA pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Harrisonburg, VA run 5.1% below the national average (2024), so a Harrisonburg, VA salary is worth about 1.05× 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 Harrisonburg, VA

OccupationMedian, Harrisonburg, VA · vs. national

1Food Batchmakers$66,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,960 – $66,330+56.8%
2Printing Press Operators$64,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,540 – $66,160+40.2%
3Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$131,970
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,310 – $155,760+36.1%
4Opticians, Dispensing$62,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,970 – $79,090+33.3%
5Bartenders$44,940
No formal educational credential
$26,580 – $77,980+30.9%
6Education Administrators, Postsecondary$134,270
Master's degree
$82,040 – $223,900+28.4%
7Waiters and Waitresses$44,760
No formal educational credential
$27,420 – $75,660+27.1%
8Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$129,960
Bachelor's degree
$78,110 – $160,380+23.9%
9Chief Executives$264,970
Bachelor's degree
$131,550 – $429,380+23.8%
10Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs$45,580
No formal educational credential
$31,300 – $51,400+22.2%
11Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$77,340
Bachelor's degree
$60,510 – $77,340+20.9%
12Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$76,830
Bachelor's degree
$61,080 – $76,830+19.4%
13Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$76,940
Bachelor's degree
$54,330 – $76,940+18.2%
14Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$52,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,790 – $76,690+17.0%
15Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$58,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,480 – $80,660+15.3%
16Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$76,210
Associate's degree
$59,930 – $97,080+15.3%
17Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$53,440
No formal educational credential
$36,850 – $62,590+15.1%
18Parts Salespersons$43,680
No formal educational credential
$28,180 – $62,330+13.1%
19Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary$90,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,270 – $125,690+12.7%
20Counter and Rental Clerks$46,120
No formal educational credential
$30,720 – $62,390+11.7%
21Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$76,240
Master's degree
$45,330 – $96,590+11.7%
22Tire Repairers and Changers$41,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,580 – $54,230+10.9%
23Machine Feeders and Offbearers$45,610
No formal educational credential
$34,630 – $53,010+10.7%
24Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$78,300
Bachelor's degree
$54,490 – $78,300+8.7%
25Industrial Production Managers$136,090
Bachelor's degree
$90,430 – $199,240+8.0%
26School Bus Monitors$37,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$25,810 – $37,660+7.3%
27First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$67,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,120 – $80,040+7.0%
28Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$46,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $65,430+6.8%
29Sales Managers$157,260
Bachelor's degree
$96,250 – $216,860+6.1%
30Facilities Managers$111,970
Bachelor's degree
$70,670 – $155,960+5.0%
31Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$61,830
Master's degree
$42,780 – $94,750+4.2%
32Postal Service Clerks$64,670
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,030+4.1%
33Fundraisers$75,150
Bachelor's degree
$49,810 – $107,780+3.6%
34Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$61,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,720 – $87,870+3.2%
35Manicurists and Pedicurists$36,770
Postsecondary nondegree award
$28,870 – $59,370+2.8%
36Dental Hygienists$100,620
Associate's degree
$82,110 – $123,530+2.6%
37Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$37,600
Some college, no degree
$29,460 – $47,060+2.2%
38Stockers and Order Fillers$38,130
No formal educational credential
$29,980 – $55,240+2.1%
39Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers$40,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,220 – $49,280+2.1%
40First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers$49,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,650 – $83,890+1.5%
41Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$50,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,830 – $76,360+1.5%
42English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$79,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,930 – $98,070+1.4%
43Education Teachers, Postsecondary$76,370
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,420 – $94,170+1.4%
44Chefs and Head Cooks$63,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,220 – $81,590+1.3%
45Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$80,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,640 – $125,990+1.3%
46Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$37,900
No formal educational credential
$33,230 – $47,630+1.2%
47Athletic Trainers$63,230
Master's degree
$53,810 – $80,200+1.1%
48Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other$36,230
No formal educational credential
$30,300 – $47,060+1.1%
49First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$44,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,590 – $62,040+1.1%
50Physics Teachers, Postsecondary$101,210
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,020 – $125,100+0.9%

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

#	Occupation	MedianHarrisonburg, VA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,330	$35,960 – $66,330	+56.8%
2	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,180	$36,540 – $66,160	+40.2%
3	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$131,970	$79,310 – $155,760	+36.1%
4	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,980	$40,970 – $79,090	+33.3%
5	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$44,940	$26,580 – $77,980	+30.9%
6	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$134,270	$82,040 – $223,900	+28.4%
7	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$44,760	$27,420 – $75,660	+27.1%
8	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$129,960	$78,110 – $160,380	+23.9%
9	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$264,970	$131,550 – $429,380	+23.8%
10	Shuttle Drivers and ChauffeursNo formal educational credential	$45,580	$31,300 – $51,400	+22.2%
11	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$77,340	$60,510 – $77,340	+20.9%
12	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$76,830	$61,080 – $76,830	+19.4%
13	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$76,940	$54,330 – $76,940	+18.2%
14	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,260	$34,790 – $76,690	+17.0%
15	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,040	$42,480 – $80,660	+15.3%
16	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,210	$59,930 – $97,080	+15.3%
17	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$53,440	$36,850 – $62,590	+15.1%
18	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$43,680	$28,180 – $62,330	+13.1%
19	Philosophy and Religion Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$90,430	$62,270 – $125,690	+12.7%
20	Counter and Rental ClerksNo formal educational credential	$46,120	$30,720 – $62,390	+11.7%
21	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$76,240	$45,330 – $96,590	+11.7%
22	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,810	$29,580 – $54,230	+10.9%
23	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$45,610	$34,630 – $53,010	+10.7%
24	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$78,300	$54,490 – $78,300	+8.7%
25	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$136,090	$90,430 – $199,240	+8.0%
26	School Bus MonitorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,660	$25,810 – $37,660	+7.3%
27	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,300	$41,120 – $80,040	+7.0%
28	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,150	$31,200 – $65,430	+6.8%
29	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$157,260	$96,250 – $216,860	+6.1%
30	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$111,970	$70,670 – $155,960	+5.0%
31	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$61,830	$42,780 – $94,750	+4.2%
32	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$64,670	$42,600 – $75,030	+4.1%
33	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$75,150	$49,810 – $107,780	+3.6%
34	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,970	$43,720 – $87,870	+3.2%
35	Manicurists and PedicuristsPostsecondary nondegree award	$36,770	$28,870 – $59,370	+2.8%
36	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$100,620	$82,110 – $123,530	+2.6%
37	Teaching Assistants, Except PostsecondarySome college, no degree	$37,600	$29,460 – $47,060	+2.2%
38	Stockers and Order FillersNo formal educational credential	$38,130	$29,980 – $55,240	+2.1%
39	Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,470	$31,220 – $49,280	+2.1%
40	First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,300	$35,650 – $83,890	+1.5%
41	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,350	$34,830 – $76,360	+1.5%
42	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$79,840	$58,930 – $98,070	+1.4%
43	Education Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$76,370	$50,420 – $94,170	+1.4%
44	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,270	$37,220 – $81,590	+1.3%
45	Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$80,410	$50,640 – $125,990	+1.3%
46	Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaNo formal educational credential	$37,900	$33,230 – $47,630	+1.2%
47	Athletic TrainersMaster's degree	$63,230	$53,810 – $80,200	+1.1%
48	Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$36,230	$30,300 – $47,060	+1.1%
49	First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,560	$31,590 – $62,040	+1.1%
50	Physics Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$101,210	$65,020 – $125,100	+0.9%

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