Ranking · original analysis of BLS and O*NET data
Highest-paying jobs in Virginia
The 40 best-paid occupations in Virginia with at least 100 people employed, by state median wage.
Quick answer
The highest-paying occupation in Virginia with at least 100 people employed was Orthopedic Surgeon, with a state median of $478,710 (BLS May 2025).
The ranking
40 occupations
Data Every figure is from BLS OEWS May 2025 or O*NET 31.0; the selection rule is below.
| # | Occupation | Median pay in Virginia | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orthopedic Surgeon | $478,710 | 170 |
| 2 | Cardiologist | $461,450 | 810 |
| 3 | Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons | $403,430 | 210 |
| 4 | Surgeons, All Other | $360,510 | 260 |
| 5 | CEO | $310,740 | 4,870 |
| 6 | Psychiatrist | $295,010 | 370 |
| 7 | Physicians, All Other | $278,530 | 8,480 |
| 8 | CRNA | $252,110 | 700 |
| 9 | Pathologist | $240,780 | 110 |
| 10 | Family Medicine Physician | $222,630 | 2,930 |
| 11 | IT Manager | $201,490 | 17,550 |
| 12 | Dentist | $197,110 | 4,140 |
| 13 | Pediatrician | $195,940 | 750 |
| 14 | Air Traffic Controller | $191,820 | 1,120 |
| 15 | Sales Manager | $191,130 | 9,670 |
| 16 | Marketing Manager | $187,820 | 6,890 |
| 17 | Financial Manager | $185,220 | 20,850 |
| 18 | Public Relations Manager | $176,340 | 2,610 |
| 19 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $176,160 | 4,390 |
| 20 | Lawyer | $167,210 | 18,580 |
| 21 | Purchasing Manager | $166,230 | 3,540 |
| 22 | Managers, All Other | $166,230 | 21,560 |
| 23 | HR Manager | $165,980 | 5,770 |
| 24 | Database Architect | $160,360 | 5,260 |
| 25 | Computer and Information Research Scientists | $157,390 | 3,590 |
| 26 | Natural Sciences Managers | $150,570 | 1,470 |
| 27 | Advertising and Promotions Managers | $148,400 | 180 |
| 28 | Engineers, All Other | $148,160 | 5,060 |
| 29 | Mathematician | $148,030 | 400 |
| 30 | Physicist | $145,040 | 940 |
| 31 | Pharmacist | $144,060 | 7,980 |
| 32 | Fundraising Managers | $143,730 | 880 |
| 33 | Aerospace Engineer | $143,210 | 2,540 |
| 34 | Network Engineer | $141,340 | 9,380 |
| 35 | Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other | $140,670 | 3,380 |
| 36 | Psychologists, All Other | $140,640 | 510 |
| 37 | Computer Occupations, All Other | $139,030 | 17,000 |
| 38 | Computer Hardware Engineer | $139,030 | 1,720 |
| 39 | Economist | $137,590 | 950 |
| 40 | Training and Development Managers | $137,520 | 1,050 |
Method
How this page is built
BLS OEWS state estimates for Virginia, May 2025: occupations with at least 100 people employed and a published median, ranked by median annual wage.
What this page can't tell you
Sources- Pay at a specific employer or for self-employed workers.
- Openings in your area: these are national figures.
- Whether a job suits you personally.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).
- O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.