Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA

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

Cost of living: prices in Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA run 8.9% below the national average (2024), so a Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA salary is worth about 1.10× 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 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA

OccupationMedian, Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA · vs. national

1Rehabilitation Counselors$72,960
Master's degree
$53,370 – $86,980+55.7%
2Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$65,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,050 – $65,790+34.3%
3Bartenders$44,620
No formal educational credential
$27,830 – $73,720+29.9%
4Printing Press Operators$58,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,140 – $76,570+28.5%
5Personal Financial Advisors$133,900
Bachelor's degree
$53,780 – $897,250+27.4%
6Social and Community Service Managers$97,060
Bachelor's degree
$62,390 – $116,550+20.7%
7Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$64,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,860 – $85,360+19.9%
8Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$89,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$67,190 – $97,530+19.9%
9Industrial Machinery Mechanics$76,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,590 – $89,850+18.1%
10Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$47,310
No formal educational credential
$35,880 – $50,760+17.6%
11Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$55,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,140 – $61,510+16.9%
12Physical Therapist Assistants$79,590
Associate's degree
$60,310 – $88,280+16.4%
13Self-Enrichment Teachers$53,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,920 – $91,510+14.6%
14Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$68,800
Master's degree
$48,950 – $94,690+14.1%
15Residential Advisors$47,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,450 – $57,550+11.9%
16Counter and Rental Clerks$45,690
No formal educational credential
$29,730 – $76,810+10.6%
17Helpers--Production Workers$43,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,870 – $45,200+10.6%
18Security Guards$41,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,210 – $60,080+10.3%
19Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$52,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,080 – $79,180+8.5%
20Waiters and Waitresses$37,910
No formal educational credential
$27,310 – $61,950+7.6%
21First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$79,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,480 – $105,490+6.7%
22Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs$39,770
No formal educational credential
$30,040 – $47,050+6.7%
23Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$48,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,730 – $57,710+6.0%
24Special Education Teachers, Middle School$70,690
Bachelor's degree
$50,920 – $97,920+5.8%
25Chief Executives$225,760
Bachelor's degree
$105,880 – $564,990+5.5%
26Postal Service Clerks$65,370
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $78,350+5.2%
27Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$46,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,020 – $61,430+5.2%
28Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$66,880
Bachelor's degree
$43,690 – $77,530+4.8%
29Tool and Die Makers$67,130
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,650 – $73,720+4.8%
30Medical and Health Services Managers$129,200
Bachelor's degree
$80,500 – $202,020+4.3%
31Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$60,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,850 – $75,470+4.0%
32Machinists$60,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,270 – $79,980+2.8%
33Dental Hygienists$100,350
Associate's degree
$86,730 – $123,790+2.3%
34Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$62,350
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,120 – $80,740+2.2%
35Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$51,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,850 – $66,400+2.0%
36Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,190 – $63,860+1.8%
37Logisticians$83,720
Bachelor's degree
$57,610 – $127,990+1.7%
38Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$72,990
Bachelor's degree
$49,640 – $98,460+1.3%
39Pharmacy Technicians$46,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,060 – $55,520+0.8%
40First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$63,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,310 – $95,870+0.7%
41Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$62,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,760 – $72,320+0.7%
42Parts Salespersons$38,900
No formal educational credential
$28,840 – $59,100+0.7%
43Packers and Packagers, Hand$36,460
No formal educational credential
$25,810 – $62,850+0.5%
44Nursing Assistants$42,490
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,560 – $46,600+0.5%
45Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$64,680
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,540 – $79,170+0.4%
46Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$65,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,060 – $80,350+0.4%
47Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$64,560
Bachelor's degree
$50,410 – $80,270+0.3%
48Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$59,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,490 – $76,930+0.3%
49Physical Therapists$102,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$70,270 – $122,230+0.1%
50Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$57,010
No formal educational credential
$47,830 – $72,8000.0%

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

#	Occupation	MedianStaunton-Stuarts Draft, VA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$72,960	$53,370 – $86,980	+55.7%
2	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,790	$39,050 – $65,790	+34.3%
3	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$44,620	$27,830 – $73,720	+29.9%
4	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,850	$39,140 – $76,570	+28.5%
5	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$133,900	$53,780 – $897,250	+27.4%
6	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$97,060	$62,390 – $116,550	+20.7%
7	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,470	$44,860 – $85,360	+19.9%
8	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$89,120	$67,190 – $97,530	+19.9%
9	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,210	$51,590 – $89,850	+18.1%
10	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$47,310	$35,880 – $50,760	+17.6%
11	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,790	$41,140 – $61,510	+16.9%
12	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$79,590	$60,310 – $88,280	+16.4%
13	Self-Enrichment TeachersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,640	$50,920 – $91,510	+14.6%
14	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$68,800	$48,950 – $94,690	+14.1%
15	Residential AdvisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,250	$35,450 – $57,550	+11.9%
16	Counter and Rental ClerksNo formal educational credential	$45,690	$29,730 – $76,810	+10.6%
17	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,210	$39,870 – $45,200	+10.6%
18	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,950	$31,210 – $60,080	+10.3%
19	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,690	$38,080 – $79,180	+8.5%
20	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$37,910	$27,310 – $61,950	+7.6%
21	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,460	$41,480 – $105,490	+6.7%
22	Shuttle Drivers and ChauffeursNo formal educational credential	$39,770	$30,040 – $47,050	+6.7%
23	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,390	$26,730 – $57,710	+6.0%
24	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$70,690	$50,920 – $97,920	+5.8%
25	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$225,760	$105,880 – $564,990	+5.5%
26	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$65,370	$42,600 – $78,350	+5.2%
27	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,970	$35,020 – $61,430	+5.2%
28	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$66,880	$43,690 – $77,530	+4.8%
29	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$67,130	$49,650 – $73,720	+4.8%
30	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$129,200	$80,500 – $202,020	+4.3%
31	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,600	$42,850 – $75,470	+4.0%
32	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,410	$47,270 – $79,980	+2.8%
33	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$100,350	$86,730 – $123,790	+2.3%
34	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,350	$39,120 – $80,740	+2.2%
35	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,370	$39,850 – $66,400	+2.0%
36	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,160	$38,190 – $63,860	+1.8%
37	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$83,720	$57,610 – $127,990	+1.7%
38	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$72,990	$49,640 – $98,460	+1.3%
39	Pharmacy TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,100	$37,060 – $55,520	+0.8%
40	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,340	$46,310 – $95,870	+0.7%
41	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,190	$45,760 – $72,320	+0.7%
42	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$38,900	$28,840 – $59,100	+0.7%
43	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$36,460	$25,810 – $62,850	+0.5%
44	Nursing AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$42,490	$35,560 – $46,600	+0.5%
45	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,680	$51,540 – $79,170	+0.4%
46	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,800	$47,060 – $80,350	+0.4%
47	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$64,560	$50,410 – $80,270	+0.3%
48	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,840	$44,490 – $76,930	+0.3%
49	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$102,840	$70,270 – $122,230	+0.1%
50	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$57,010	$47,830 – $72,800	0.0%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA

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