Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Roanoke, VA

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

Cost of living: prices in Roanoke, VA run 6.4% below the national average (2024), so a Roanoke, VA salary is worth about 1.07× 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 Roanoke, VA

OccupationMedian, Roanoke, VA · vs. national

1Bartenders$46,530
No formal educational credential
$26,780 – $76,200+35.5%
2Detectives and Criminal Investigators$114,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,890 – $158,060+21.6%
3Orthotists and Prosthetists$98,380
Master's degree
$53,900 – $167,300+21.3%
4Chief Executives$258,310
Bachelor's degree
$125,680 – $528,880+20.7%
5Obstetricians and Gynecologists$346,900
Doctoral or professional degree
$219,240 – $384,460+18.4%
6Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$66,990
Bachelor's degree
$35,510 – $86,220+18.1%
7Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$55,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,470 – $60,030+17.2%
8Psychologists, All Other$128,590
Master's degree
$40,130 – $151,960+16.0%
9Operations Research Analysts$102,930
Bachelor's degree
$57,080 – $139,660+15.7%
10Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$52,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,920 – $60,740+14.9%
11Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$46,180
No formal educational credential
$30,880 – $53,510+14.8%
12First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$62,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,340 – $92,780+11.8%
13Opticians, Dispensing$52,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,010 – $66,030+11.4%
14Rehabilitation Counselors$51,840
Master's degree
$34,110 – $85,810+10.7%
15Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$82,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,460 – $127,760+10.6%
16Instructional Coordinators$84,010
Master's degree
$52,500 – $108,600+8.5%
17Massage Therapists$63,070
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,700 – $101,870+7.9%
18Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers$126,440
Doctoral or professional degree
$108,890 – $176,900+7.3%
19Waiters and Waitresses$37,380
No formal educational credential
$26,750 – $59,650+6.1%
20Tutors$45,830
Some college, no degree
$29,520 – $85,820+5.7%
21Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,890 – $57,100+5.1%
22Psychiatrists$295,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$199,990 – $320,640+4.7%
23Pediatricians, General$219,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$140,860 – $272,800+4.7%
24Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$56,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,100 – $63,800+4.3%
25Printing Press Operators$47,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,980 – $59,010+4.0%
26Medical and Health Services Managers$128,800
Bachelor's degree
$80,720 – $190,880+4.0%
27Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$104,300
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,200 – $169,630+3.7%
28Postal Service Clerks$64,290
No formal educational credential
$54,330 – $76,360+3.5%
29Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers$56,370
Associate's degree
$30,400 – $72,540+2.5%
30Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,920 – $61,560+2.5%
31Phlebotomists$46,380
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,730 – $47,340+2.5%
32Data Entry Keyers$42,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,520 – $52,710+2.3%
33Pest Control Workers$46,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,080 – $63,080+2.2%
34Nurse Practitioners$134,920
Master's degree
$101,640 – $147,520+2.0%
35Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$40,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,810 – $51,330+1.8%
36Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$59,490
No formal educational credential
$48,880 – $75,280+1.7%
37Customer Service Representatives$45,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,560 – $55,420+1.6%
38Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$37,360
Some college, no degree
$25,810 – $49,120+1.6%
39Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$69,210
Master's degree
$44,490 – $93,490+1.4%
40Social and Community Service Managers$81,440
Bachelor's degree
$58,790 – $135,190+1.3%
41Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$51,230
Postsecondary nondegree award
$33,980 – $78,550+1.2%
42Postal Service Mail Carriers$61,240
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040+1.1%
43Occupational Therapy Assistants$72,870
Associate's degree
$54,990 – $87,810+0.8%
44Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$44,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,960 – $57,340+0.6%
45Dental Hygienists$98,550
Associate's degree
$80,020 – $121,990+0.5%
46Information and Record Clerks, All Other$49,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,360 – $62,250+0.2%
47Sewing Machine Operators$36,750
No formal educational credential
$27,960 – $43,750+0.2%
48First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$87,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,450 – $147,430+0.1%
49Physician Assistants$135,940
Master's degree
$106,150 – $162,8000.0%
50Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers$60,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,650 – $65,210-0.1%

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

#	Occupation	MedianRoanoke, VA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$46,530	$26,780 – $76,200	+35.5%
2	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$114,050	$63,890 – $158,060	+21.6%
3	Orthotists and ProsthetistsMaster's degree	$98,380	$53,900 – $167,300	+21.3%
4	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$258,310	$125,680 – $528,880	+20.7%
5	Obstetricians and GynecologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$346,900	$219,240 – $384,460	+18.4%
6	Community and Social Service Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$66,990	$35,510 – $86,220	+18.1%
7	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,300	$35,470 – $60,030	+17.2%
8	Psychologists, All OtherMaster's degree	$128,590	$40,130 – $151,960	+16.0%
9	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$102,930	$57,080 – $139,660	+15.7%
10	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,460	$37,920 – $60,740	+14.9%
11	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$46,180	$30,880 – $53,510	+14.8%
12	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,550	$44,340 – $92,780	+11.8%
13	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,650	$36,010 – $66,030	+11.4%
14	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$51,840	$34,110 – $85,810	+10.7%
15	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,180	$47,460 – $127,760	+10.6%
16	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$84,010	$52,500 – $108,600	+8.5%
17	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,070	$35,700 – $101,870	+7.9%
18	Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing OfficersDoctoral or professional degree	$126,440	$108,890 – $176,900	+7.3%
19	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$37,380	$26,750 – $59,650	+6.1%
20	TutorsSome college, no degree	$45,830	$29,520 – $85,820	+5.7%
21	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,700	$39,890 – $57,100	+5.1%
22	PsychiatristsDoctoral or professional degree	$295,010	$199,990 – $320,640	+4.7%
23	Pediatricians, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$219,960	$140,860 – $272,800	+4.7%
24	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,040	$43,100 – $63,800	+4.3%
25	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,630	$28,980 – $59,010	+4.0%
26	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$128,800	$80,720 – $190,880	+4.0%
27	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$104,300	$59,200 – $169,630	+3.7%
28	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$64,290	$54,330 – $76,360	+3.5%
29	Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral ArrangersAssociate's degree	$56,370	$30,400 – $72,540	+2.5%
30	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,220	$36,920 – $61,560	+2.5%
31	PhlebotomistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,380	$37,730 – $47,340	+2.5%
32	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,300	$28,520 – $52,710	+2.3%
33	Pest Control WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,240	$36,080 – $63,080	+2.2%
34	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$134,920	$101,640 – $147,520	+2.0%
35	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,100	$30,810 – $51,330	+1.8%
36	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$59,490	$48,880 – $75,280	+1.7%
37	Customer Service RepresentativesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,500	$29,560 – $55,420	+1.6%
38	Teaching Assistants, Except PostsecondarySome college, no degree	$37,360	$25,810 – $49,120	+1.6%
39	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$69,210	$44,490 – $93,490	+1.4%
40	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$81,440	$58,790 – $135,190	+1.3%
41	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$51,230	$33,980 – $78,550	+1.2%
42	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$61,240	$42,390 – $81,040	+1.1%
43	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$72,870	$54,990 – $87,810	+0.8%
44	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,900	$34,960 – $57,340	+0.6%
45	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$98,550	$80,020 – $121,990	+0.5%
46	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,590	$35,360 – $62,250	+0.2%
47	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$36,750	$27,960 – $43,750	+0.2%
48	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$87,630	$49,450 – $147,430	+0.1%
49	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$135,940	$106,150 – $162,800	0.0%
50	Security and Fire Alarm Systems InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,000	$40,650 – $65,210	-0.1%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Roanoke, VA

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