Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Lynchburg, VA

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

Cost of living: prices in Lynchburg, VA run 10.6% below the national average (2024), so a Lynchburg, VA salary is worth about 1.12× 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 Lynchburg, VA

OccupationMedian, Lynchburg, VA · vs. national

1Production Workers, All Other$60,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,120 – $60,080+49.8%
2Occupational Health and Safety Technicians$85,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,720 – $98,580+38.7%
3Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$97,150
Postsecondary nondegree award
$63,440 – $97,150+31.1%
4First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$73,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,000 – $119,300+30.9%
5Security Guards$49,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,330 – $75,860+30.1%
6Bartenders$44,350
No formal educational credential
$26,430 – $75,600+29.1%
7Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$91,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,320 – $99,390+22.6%
8Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$57,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,070 – $91,650+18.7%
9Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$122,560
Bachelor's degree
$60,590 – $161,890+16.8%
10Real Estate Sales Agents$59,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,680 – $91,130+13.3%
11Physical Therapist Assistants$75,420
Associate's degree
$56,860 – $99,840+10.3%
12Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers$59,870
Associate's degree
$34,300 – $74,780+8.8%
13Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$49,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,240 – $61,360+8.8%
14Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$54,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,160 – $72,500+8.3%
15Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$116,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,630 – $195,320+8.2%
16Occupational Therapy Assistants$78,230
Associate's degree
$65,190 – $99,840+8.2%
17Facilities Managers$113,940
Bachelor's degree
$72,370 – $166,030+6.8%
18Protective Service Workers, All Other$45,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,880 – $81,330+5.9%
19Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$53,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,360 – $63,450+5.1%
20Training and Development Specialists$72,580
Bachelor's degree
$38,940 – $114,300+4.8%
21Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$45,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,130 – $61,060+4.6%
22Waiters and Waitresses$36,780
No formal educational credential
$26,270 – $59,870+4.4%
23Medical and Health Services Managers$129,320
Bachelor's degree
$79,420 – $216,510+4.4%
24Machinists$61,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,440 – $90,390+4.1%
25Chemical Technicians$62,710
Associate's degree
$37,910 – $82,670+3.8%
26Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,840 – $78,290+3.8%
27Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,730 – $63,240+3.5%
28Opticians, Dispensing$48,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,440 – $68,740+3.4%
29Nursing Assistants$43,660
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,480 – $45,860+3.3%
30Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$50,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,970 – $64,500+3.1%
31Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$59,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,950 – $73,000+2.9%
32Physicians, All Other$273,740
Doctoral or professional degree
$113,420 – $427,350+2.9%
33Social and Community Service Managers$82,680
Bachelor's degree
$58,400 – $121,440+2.8%
34Detectives and Criminal Investigators$96,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,340 – $124,680+2.8%
35Industrial Production Managers$129,640
Bachelor's degree
$79,740 – $199,610+2.8%
36Occupational Therapists$103,060
Master's degree
$76,900 – $123,300+2.7%
37Chief Executives$219,400
Bachelor's degree
$99,920 – $569,340+2.5%
38Pharmacists$144,090
Doctoral or professional degree
$111,620 – $163,560+2.3%
39Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$60,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,760 – $90,280+1.7%
40Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$60,220
Master's degree
$39,440 – $105,940+1.5%
41Sales Managers$149,990
Bachelor's degree
$74,280 – $236,460+1.2%
42Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$36,100
No formal educational credential
$28,660 – $37,460+1.2%
43Tire Repairers and Changers$38,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,740 – $44,950+1.1%
44Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$57,350
Bachelor's degree
$35,370 – $77,590+1.1%
45Bus Drivers, School$48,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,920 – $62,610+0.6%
46Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,010 – $54,970-0.2%
47First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$87,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,620 – $145,000-0.3%
48Physical Therapists$102,450
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,590 – $123,350-0.3%
49Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$77,910
Associate's degree
$46,870 – $99,130-0.4%
50Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$49,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,150 – $74,650-0.7%

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

#	Occupation	MedianLynchburg, VA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,080	$38,120 – $60,080	+49.8%
2	Occupational Health and Safety TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,410	$46,720 – $98,580	+38.7%
3	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$97,150	$63,440 – $97,150	+31.1%
4	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,230	$53,000 – $119,300	+30.9%
5	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,480	$30,330 – $75,860	+30.1%
6	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$44,350	$26,430 – $75,600	+29.1%
7	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$91,120	$62,320 – $99,390	+22.6%
8	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,660	$38,070 – $91,650	+18.7%
9	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$122,560	$60,590 – $161,890	+16.8%
10	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,880	$37,680 – $91,130	+13.3%
11	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$75,420	$56,860 – $99,840	+10.3%
12	Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral ArrangersAssociate's degree	$59,870	$34,300 – $74,780	+8.8%
13	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,880	$34,240 – $61,360	+8.8%
14	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,920	$37,160 – $72,500	+8.3%
15	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$116,000	$63,630 – $195,320	+8.2%
16	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$78,230	$65,190 – $99,840	+8.2%
17	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$113,940	$72,370 – $166,030	+6.8%
18	Protective Service Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,060	$29,880 – $81,330	+5.9%
19	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,940	$46,360 – $63,450	+5.1%
20	Training and Development SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$72,580	$38,940 – $114,300	+4.8%
21	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,190	$34,130 – $61,060	+4.6%
22	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$36,780	$26,270 – $59,870	+4.4%
23	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$129,320	$79,420 – $216,510	+4.4%
24	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,140	$44,440 – $90,390	+4.1%
25	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$62,710	$37,910 – $82,670	+3.8%
26	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,100	$39,840 – $78,290	+3.8%
27	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,810	$28,730 – $63,240	+3.5%
28	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,890	$37,440 – $68,740	+3.4%
29	Nursing AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$43,660	$36,480 – $45,860	+3.3%
30	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,760	$37,970 – $64,500	+3.1%
31	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,950	$44,950 – $73,000	+2.9%
32	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$273,740	$113,420 – $427,350	+2.9%
33	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$82,680	$58,400 – $121,440	+2.8%
34	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,430	$60,340 – $124,680	+2.8%
35	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$129,640	$79,740 – $199,610	+2.8%
36	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$103,060	$76,900 – $123,300	+2.7%
37	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$219,400	$99,920 – $569,340	+2.5%
38	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$144,090	$111,620 – $163,560	+2.3%
39	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,650	$38,760 – $90,280	+1.7%
40	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$60,220	$39,440 – $105,940	+1.5%
41	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$149,990	$74,280 – $236,460	+1.2%
42	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$36,100	$28,660 – $37,460	+1.2%
43	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,120	$28,740 – $44,950	+1.1%
44	Community and Social Service Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$57,350	$35,370 – $77,590	+1.1%
45	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,210	$35,920 – $62,610	+0.6%
46	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,520	$38,010 – $54,970	-0.2%
47	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$87,290	$54,620 – $145,000	-0.3%
48	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$102,450	$73,590 – $123,350	-0.3%
49	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,910	$46,870 – $99,130	-0.4%
50	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,990	$38,150 – $74,650	-0.7%

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