Virginia Jobs and Wages
Wages, unemployment, minimum wage, benefits, visa filings and federal openings for Virginia from BLS, the Department of Labor and USAJOBS.
- Median wage
- $55,690 a year
- May 2025
- Unemployment rate
- 3.6%
- Sep 2026
- Minimum wage
- $12.77/hr
- State law
- Average weekly jobless benefit
- $421
- Sep 2026
Highest paying jobs in Virginia
Occupations with at least 100 jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | Occupation | Employment | Median wage | Mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | 170 | $478,710 | $432,290 |
| 2 | Cardiologists | 810 | $461,450 | $446,630 |
| 3 | Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons | 210 | $403,430 | $412,860 |
| 4 | Surgeons, All Other | 260 | $360,510 | $313,960 |
| 5 | Chief Executives | 4,870 | $310,740 | $340,580 |
| 6 | Psychiatrists | 370 | $295,010 | $272,960 |
| 7 | Physicians, All Other | 8,480 | $278,530 | $266,010 |
| 8 | Nurse Anesthetists | 700 | $252,110 | $254,820 |
Most common jobs in Virginia
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | Occupation | Employment | Median wage | Mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | 104,460 | $30,110 | $31,930 |
| 2 | General and Operations Managers | 103,590 | $122,080 | $141,370 |
| 3 | Retail Salespersons | 100,290 | $34,240 | $36,290 |
| 4 | Software Developers | 88,280 | $136,460 | $146,340 |
| 5 | Cashiers | 83,890 | $30,580 | $32,140 |
| 6 | Registered Nurses | 77,490 | $93,600 | $93,850 |
| 7 | Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 70,070 | $30,300 | $32,640 |
| 8 | Stockers and Order Fillers | 69,660 | $36,380 | $38,070 |
Wages by metro area
- Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA
- Charlottesville, VA
- Harrisonburg, VA
- Lynchburg, VA
- Richmond, VA
- Roanoke, VA
- Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA
- Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
- Winchester, VA-WV
- Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area
- Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area
- Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area
- Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area
Visa filings for jobs in this state
Employer filings with the Department of Labor
- H-1B (FY 2026 through Q3)10,080 certified, median offer $122,500
- PERM (FY 2026 through Q3)3,021 certified, median offer $114,026
Top H-1B employers in Virginia
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | Employer | Certified | Median wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amazon.com Services LLC | 469 | $147,600 |
| 2 | Capital One Services, LLC | 376 | $139,100 |
| 3 | Capital One, National Association | 307 | $115,939 |
| 4 | Amazon Data Services, Inc | 252 | $141,000 |
| 5 | Amazon Web Services, Inc. | 245 | $147,000 |
| 6 | Cognizant Technology Solutions US Corp | 187 | $111,030 |
| 7 | Hexaware Technologies, Inc. | 178 | $112,466 |
| 8 | Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 170 | $158,176 |
More Virginia labor data
- Unemployment by county3.6% statewide
- Jobs by industry4.25 million jobs, -0.6% in a year
- Minimum wage$12.77 an hour
- Unemployment benefits$421 a week on average
- Union membership5.4% in 2025
- Federal job openings886 open now
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median wage in Virginia?
- The median wage for all occupations in Virginia is $55,690 a year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025).
- What is the unemployment rate in Virginia?
- Virginia's unemployment rate was 3.6% in Sep 2026 (seasonally adjusted).
- What is the highest paying job in Virginia?
- Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric have the highest median wage among occupations with at least 100 jobs in Virginia: $478,710 a year.