Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC

Each occupation's median wage in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC run 2.1% below the national average (2024), so a Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC

OccupationMedian, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC · vs. national

1Home Appliance Repairers$81,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,860 – $93,790+58.9%
2Surgical Assistants$99,530
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,670 – $126,560+49.0%
3Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$76,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,000 – $78,120+47.9%
4Chief Executives$297,350
Bachelor's degree
$124,010 – $612,350+39.0%
5Bartenders$46,700
No formal educational credential
$26,910 – $78,840+36.0%
6Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$127,540
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,060 – $215,090+31.5%
7Social Workers, All Other$94,220
Bachelor's degree
$62,240 – $123,220+31.0%
8Operations Research Analysts$114,070
Bachelor's degree
$65,040 – $164,280+28.3%
9Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$78,540
Associate's degree
$43,640 – $107,340+26.1%
10Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$78,580
Bachelor's degree
$50,460 – $100,930+25.4%
11Teachers and Instructors, All Other$82,530
Bachelor's degree
$57,390 – $116,920+24.8%
12Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$59,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,440 – $63,440+24.3%
13Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$96,870
Associate's degree
$59,290 – $131,210+23.9%
14Education Administrators, All Other$117,640
Bachelor's degree
$53,680 – $147,740+23.6%
15Marriage and Family Therapists$81,870
Master's degree
$50,560 – $91,250+22.3%
16Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$78,330
Bachelor's degree
$58,740 – $101,120+20.3%
17Tutors$52,000
Some college, no degree
$29,170 – $89,190+20.0%
18Real Estate Sales Agents$62,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,750 – $109,890+19.1%
19Dental Laboratory Technicians$58,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,160 – $85,010+18.4%
20Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$57,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,060 – $79,030+18.0%
21Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$77,940
Bachelor's degree
$61,830 – $101,750+17.6%
22Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$62,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,510 – $78,180+16.6%
23Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$58,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,460 – $80,110+15.2%
24Special Education Teachers, Middle School$76,620
Bachelor's degree
$56,780 – $101,720+14.7%
25Social and Community Service Managers$92,140
Bachelor's degree
$57,960 – $134,310+14.6%
26Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$119,270
Bachelor's degree
$61,410 – $165,770+13.7%
27Production Workers, All Other$45,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,650 – $61,540+13.5%
28Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$77,520
Master's degree
$52,050 – $103,960+13.5%
29Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,160 – $65,710+13.4%
30Engineers, All Other$138,590
Bachelor's degree
$83,660 – $188,280+12.7%
31Web Developers$103,440
Bachelor's degree
$62,060 – $162,840+11.6%
32Logisticians$91,460
Bachelor's degree
$63,000 – $127,900+11.1%
33Opticians, Dispensing$52,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,870 – $68,760+10.9%
34Financial Specialists, All Other$89,920
Bachelor's degree
$50,690 – $121,200+10.9%
35Waiters and Waitresses$39,020
No formal educational credential
$27,860 – $70,850+10.8%
36Library Assistants, Clerical$40,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,870 – $50,610+10.3%
37Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$50,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,700 – $65,450+10.2%
38Instructional Coordinators$85,300
Master's degree
$55,640 – $107,190+10.1%
39Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$45,800
Bachelor's degree
$29,860 – $60,720+9.9%
40Automotive Body and Related Repairers$60,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,900 – $123,130+9.5%
41Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$69,840
Master's degree
$46,540 – $103,380+8.6%
42Procurement Clerks$54,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,640 – $64,210+8.2%
43Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$42,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,100 – $71,260+7.8%
44Maintenance Workers, Machinery$65,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,670 – $95,300+7.6%
45Training and Development Specialists$74,470
Bachelor's degree
$36,980 – $105,540+7.5%
46Physical Therapist Assistants$73,300
Associate's degree
$51,700 – $82,000+7.2%
47First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$59,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,510 – $88,150+7.2%
48Sales Managers$158,750
Bachelor's degree
$78,410 – $285,200+7.1%
49Machinists$62,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,880 – $76,540+7.1%
50First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$79,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,150 – $117,730+6.9%

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

#	Occupation	MedianVirginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Home Appliance RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,000	$47,860 – $93,790	+58.9%
2	Surgical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$99,530	$50,670 – $126,560	+49.0%
3	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,350	$38,000 – $78,120	+47.9%
4	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$297,350	$124,010 – $612,350	+39.0%
5	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$46,700	$26,910 – $78,840	+36.0%
6	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$127,540	$65,060 – $215,090	+31.5%
7	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$94,220	$62,240 – $123,220	+31.0%
8	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$114,070	$65,040 – $164,280	+28.3%
9	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$78,540	$43,640 – $107,340	+26.1%
10	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$78,580	$50,460 – $100,930	+25.4%
11	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$82,530	$57,390 – $116,920	+24.8%
12	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,970	$44,440 – $63,440	+24.3%
13	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$96,870	$59,290 – $131,210	+23.9%
14	Education Administrators, All OtherBachelor's degree	$117,640	$53,680 – $147,740	+23.6%
15	Marriage and Family TherapistsMaster's degree	$81,870	$50,560 – $91,250	+22.3%
16	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$78,330	$58,740 – $101,120	+20.3%
17	TutorsSome college, no degree	$52,000	$29,170 – $89,190	+20.0%
18	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,940	$36,750 – $109,890	+19.1%
19	Dental Laboratory TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,720	$38,160 – $85,010	+18.4%
20	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,330	$38,060 – $79,030	+18.0%
21	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$77,940	$61,830 – $101,750	+17.6%
22	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,670	$46,510 – $78,180	+16.6%
23	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,290	$36,460 – $80,110	+15.2%
24	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$76,620	$56,780 – $101,720	+14.7%
25	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$92,140	$57,960 – $134,310	+14.6%
26	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$119,270	$61,410 – $165,770	+13.7%
27	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,530	$33,650 – $61,540	+13.5%
28	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$77,520	$52,050 – $103,960	+13.5%
29	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,310	$39,160 – $65,710	+13.4%
30	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$138,590	$83,660 – $188,280	+12.7%
31	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$103,440	$62,060 – $162,840	+11.6%
32	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$91,460	$63,000 – $127,900	+11.1%
33	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,390	$35,870 – $68,760	+10.9%
34	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$89,920	$50,690 – $121,200	+10.9%
35	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$39,020	$27,860 – $70,850	+10.8%
36	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,710	$30,870 – $50,610	+10.3%
37	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,340	$37,700 – $65,450	+10.2%
38	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$85,300	$55,640 – $107,190	+10.1%
39	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$45,800	$29,860 – $60,720	+9.9%
40	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,100	$36,900 – $123,130	+9.5%
41	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$69,840	$46,540 – $103,380	+8.6%
42	Procurement ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,750	$43,640 – $64,210	+8.2%
43	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,470	$32,100 – $71,260	+7.8%
44	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,500	$51,670 – $95,300	+7.6%
45	Training and Development SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$74,470	$36,980 – $105,540	+7.5%
46	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$73,300	$51,700 – $82,000	+7.2%
47	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,990	$39,510 – $88,150	+7.2%
48	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$158,750	$78,410 – $285,200	+7.1%
49	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,900	$48,880 – $76,540	+7.1%
50	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,620	$43,150 – $117,730	+6.9%

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC to rank honestly.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC

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