Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Richmond, VA

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

Cost of living: prices in Richmond, VA run 2.1% below the national average (2024), so a Richmond, VA salary is worth about 1.02× 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 Richmond, VA

OccupationMedian, Richmond, VA · vs. national

1Chief Executives$326,160
Bachelor's degree
$130,130 – $558,600+52.4%
2Advertising Sales Agents$95,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,150 – $133,470+47.6%
3Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$77,210
Bachelor's degree
$54,330 – $95,960+36.1%
4Social Workers, All Other$96,970
Bachelor's degree
$43,860 – $126,820+34.9%
5Bartenders$46,070
No formal educational credential
$27,670 – $79,320+34.2%
6Social and Community Service Managers$104,070
Bachelor's degree
$62,630 – $140,460+29.5%
7Dentists, General$218,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$128,340 – $308,250+28.0%
8Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$87,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,450 – $170,140+24.9%
9Teachers and Instructors, All Other$82,370
Bachelor's degree
$41,600 – $104,920+24.5%
10Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$129,880
Bachelor's degree
$64,430 – $170,510+23.8%
11Operations Research Analysts$109,650
Bachelor's degree
$53,810 – $159,410+23.3%
12Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$61,510
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,550 – $81,850+21.5%
13Education Administrators, Postsecondary$126,850
Master's degree
$79,770 – $348,750+21.3%
14Property Appraisers and Assessors$81,270
Bachelor's degree
$51,330 – $109,930+19.6%
15Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$50,360
Bachelor's degree
$31,300 – $81,840+17.4%
16Financial Clerks, All Other$63,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,710 – $76,500+17.4%
17Opticians, Dispensing$55,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,440 – $71,240+16.4%
18First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$99,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,390 – $185,070+14.2%
19Sales Managers$168,590
Bachelor's degree
$90,440 – $296,170+13.7%
20Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$77,430
Master's degree
$54,140 – $95,570+13.4%
21Biological Technicians$65,210
Bachelor's degree
$42,700 – $80,100+13.4%
22Tax Preparers$62,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,190 – $100,470+13.2%
23Education Administrators, All Other$107,310
Bachelor's degree
$55,210 – $151,760+12.7%
24Counter and Rental Clerks$46,520
No formal educational credential
$31,340 – $71,990+12.6%
25Logisticians$92,500
Bachelor's degree
$62,040 – $132,080+12.4%
26Computer Programmers$112,690
Bachelor's degree
$61,540 – $162,880+12.3%
27Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$53,220
Associate's degree
$37,200 – $71,750+12.3%
28First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$62,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,130 – $93,440+11.7%
29Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$61,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,990 – $94,740+10.9%
30Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$50,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,880 – $71,070+10.5%
31Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$82,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,010 – $99,390+10.5%
32Surveying and Mapping Technicians$59,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,810 – $81,800+9.7%
33Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$85,510
Associate's degree
$58,820 – $132,450+9.4%
34Training and Development Specialists$75,750
Bachelor's degree
$45,860 – $123,320+9.3%
35Public Relations Managers$160,540
Bachelor's degree
$96,030 – $280,160+9.3%
36Waiters and Waitresses$38,470
No formal educational credential
$27,560 – $74,000+9.2%
37Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$55,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,810 – $80,350+8.4%
38Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$38,570
No formal educational credential
$29,360 – $44,210+8.2%
39Legal Support Workers, All Other$77,840
Associate's degree
$46,950 – $185,100+7.9%
40Industrial Production Managers$136,030
Bachelor's degree
$83,590 – $211,230+7.9%
41File Clerks$47,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,830 – $59,300+7.8%
42Physical Therapist Assistants$73,640
Associate's degree
$54,850 – $83,090+7.7%
43Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$57,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,950 – $83,920+7.4%
44First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$100,210
Postsecondary nondegree award
$72,820 – $124,610+7.1%
45Psychiatric Technicians$48,320
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,720 – $60,260+7.1%
46Highway Maintenance Workers$53,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,490 – $61,990+7.0%
47Financial Examiners$100,540
Bachelor's degree
$60,920 – $168,060+6.8%
48Physicians, All Other$284,090
Doctoral or professional degree
$92,460 – $384,630+6.8%
49Machinists$62,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,890 – $95,800+6.6%
50Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$61,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,420 – $81,020+6.5%

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

#	Occupation	MedianRichmond, VA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$326,160	$130,130 – $558,600	+52.4%
2	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,680	$41,150 – $133,470	+47.6%
3	Community and Social Service Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$77,210	$54,330 – $95,960	+36.1%
4	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$96,970	$43,860 – $126,820	+34.9%
5	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$46,070	$27,670 – $79,320	+34.2%
6	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$104,070	$62,630 – $140,460	+29.5%
7	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$218,880	$128,340 – $308,250	+28.0%
8	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$87,440	$47,450 – $170,140	+24.9%
9	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$82,370	$41,600 – $104,920	+24.5%
10	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$129,880	$64,430 – $170,510	+23.8%
11	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$109,650	$53,810 – $159,410	+23.3%
12	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,510	$36,550 – $81,850	+21.5%
13	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$126,850	$79,770 – $348,750	+21.3%
14	Property Appraisers and AssessorsBachelor's degree	$81,270	$51,330 – $109,930	+19.6%
15	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$50,360	$31,300 – $81,840	+17.4%
16	Financial Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,220	$50,710 – $76,500	+17.4%
17	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,020	$36,440 – $71,240	+16.4%
18	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,960	$57,390 – $185,070	+14.2%
19	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$168,590	$90,440 – $296,170	+13.7%
20	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$77,430	$54,140 – $95,570	+13.4%
21	Biological TechniciansBachelor's degree	$65,210	$42,700 – $80,100	+13.4%
22	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,160	$37,190 – $100,470	+13.2%
23	Education Administrators, All OtherBachelor's degree	$107,310	$55,210 – $151,760	+12.7%
24	Counter and Rental ClerksNo formal educational credential	$46,520	$31,340 – $71,990	+12.6%
25	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$92,500	$62,040 – $132,080	+12.4%
26	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$112,690	$61,540 – $162,880	+12.3%
27	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$53,220	$37,200 – $71,750	+12.3%
28	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,510	$40,130 – $93,440	+11.7%
29	Legal Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,600	$46,990 – $94,740	+10.9%
30	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,480	$36,880 – $71,070	+10.5%
31	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,130	$41,010 – $99,390	+10.5%
32	Surveying and Mapping TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,480	$38,810 – $81,800	+9.7%
33	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$85,510	$58,820 – $132,450	+9.4%
34	Training and Development SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$75,750	$45,860 – $123,320	+9.3%
35	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$160,540	$96,030 – $280,160	+9.3%
36	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$38,470	$27,560 – $74,000	+9.2%
37	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,960	$31,810 – $80,350	+8.4%
38	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$38,570	$29,360 – $44,210	+8.2%
39	Legal Support Workers, All OtherAssociate's degree	$77,840	$46,950 – $185,100	+7.9%
40	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$136,030	$83,590 – $211,230	+7.9%
41	File ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,020	$28,830 – $59,300	+7.8%
42	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$73,640	$54,850 – $83,090	+7.7%
43	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,710	$42,950 – $83,920	+7.4%
44	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$100,210	$72,820 – $124,610	+7.1%
45	Psychiatric TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,320	$39,720 – $60,260	+7.1%
46	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,770	$42,490 – $61,990	+7.0%
47	Financial ExaminersBachelor's degree	$100,540	$60,920 – $168,060	+6.8%
48	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$284,090	$92,460 – $384,630	+6.8%
49	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,650	$46,890 – $95,800	+6.6%
50	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,840	$44,420 – $81,020	+6.5%

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Richmond, VA

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