Virginia Salary Guide — What Every Role Pays by City
Average salary across all roles in Virginia: $48,233/yr. Highest-paying role: Operations Manager.
Last updated: 2026-07-23 · Source: BLS OEWS May 2025
Average Salary by Role in Virginia
Each figure is the average of the role's median pay across the 4 Virginia metros we track. 20 of the roles below link to a full guide with the city-by-city breakdown, career path, and negotiation numbers.
| Role | State Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Operations Manager salary guide | $102,422 |
| Dental Hygienist salary guide | $100,230 |
| Logistics Coordinator salary guide | $91,720 |
| Registered Nurse salary guide | $90,482 |
| Electrician salary guide | $62,100 |
| Plumber salary guide | $61,772 |
| Welder salary guide | $61,430 |
| Warehouse Supervisor salary guide | $60,870 |
| Diesel Mechanic salary guide | $59,747 |
| HVAC Technician salary guide | $59,385 |
| Auto Mechanic salary guide | $59,095 |
| Sales Representative salary guide | $57,580 |
| Truck Driver salary guide | $52,392 |
| Carpenter salary guide | $51,592 |
| Dispatcher salary guide | $48,577 |
| Maintenance Technician salary guide | $48,047 |
| Bus Driver salary guide | $47,675 |
| Painter salary guide | $47,250 |
| Forklift Operator salary guide | $47,010 |
| Administrative Assistant salary guide | $46,700 |
Averages across 4 major Virginia metros. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Salary Data by Virginia City
Richmond is the highest-paying Virginia metro we track ($49,451/yr average median) and Virginia Beach the lowest ($47,828/yr) — a spread of about 3%. Use the per-role guides above to see whether your job follows that pattern before negotiating.
| City | Avg Median Pay (All Roles) | Top-Paying Tracked Role |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | $47,828 | — |
| Norfolk | $47,828 | — |
| Chesapeake | $47,828 | — |
| Richmond | $49,451 | — |
City averages for Virginia cover the roles with BLS OEWS May 2025 data in each metro.
How to use these numbers
The medians here are the middle of what employers actually pay, not the top of a range from a job ad. If an offer in Virginia comes in under the median for your role and metro, that is your opening to negotiate — bring the BLS figure, not a guess. And if a posting hides pay entirely, the per-role guides linked above show what the market rate is before you apply.