Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Across all occupations in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metropolitan area, the median wage is $49,430 a year ($23.76 an hour) and the mean $64,130, May 2025. That median is −3% against the US median of $50,980 and −11% against Virginia's $55,690. BLS counts 763,060 jobs in the area, which spans Virginia and North Carolina. The highest-paying occupation is anesthesiologists; the largest is fast food and counter workers.
All occupations: Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC vs Virginia and North Carolina and the United States
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | Hourly | $13.99 | $17.44 | $23.76 | $37.58 | $53.62 | $30.83 | 763,060 |
| Annual | $29,110 | $36,280 | $49,430 | $78,160 | $111,530 | $64,130 | ||
| Virginia | Hourly | $14.68 | $18.14 | $26.78 | $42.99 | $66.83 | $35.60 | 4,109,320 |
| Annual | $30,530 | $37,720 | $55,690 | $89,420 | $139,010 | $74,040 | ||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $13.74 | $17.32 | $23.06 | $36.35 | $57.52 | $30.91 | 4,941,820 |
| Annual | $28,580 | $36,030 | $47,970 | $75,610 | $119,640 | $64,290 | ||
| United States | Hourly | $15.00 | $18.07 | $24.51 | $38.71 | $61.81 | $33.54 | 155,495,730 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $37,590 | $50,980 | $80,520 | $128,560 | $69,770 | ||
593 detailed occupations publish a median in this area. State profiles: Virginia, North Carolina. Compare any occupation across every area in the wage explorer.
20 highest-paying occupations in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
| Rank | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anesthesiologists | $500,990 | $240.86 | ** |
| 2 | Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $478,700 | $230.15 | ** |
| 3 | Cardiologists | $430,900 | $207.16 | 230 |
| 4 | Chief Executives | $297,350 | $142.96 | 530 |
| 5 | Psychiatrists | $277,010 | $133.18 | 50 |
| 6 | Physicians, All Other | $266,280 | $128.02 | 1,050 |
| 7 | Surgeons, All Other | $252,140 | $121.22 | 30 |
| 8 | Nurse Anesthetists | $233,060 | $112.05 | ** |
| 9 | Family Medicine Physicians | $213,690 | $102.73 | 560 |
| 10 | Dentists, General | $177,400 | $85.29 | 720 |
| 11 | Computer and Information Systems Managers in Virginia | $170,560 | $82.00 | 1,360 |
| 12 | Financial Managers in Virginia | $163,940 | $78.82 | 2,290 |
| 13 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $161,340 | $77.57 | 750 |
| 14 | Sales Managers in Virginia | $158,750 | $76.32 | 1,270 |
| 15 | Marketing Managers | $155,300 | $74.66 | 610 |
| 16 | Public Relations Managers | $152,990 | $73.55 | 200 |
| 17 | Purchasing Managers | $143,230 | $68.86 | 500 |
| 17 | Managers, All Other in Virginia | $143,230 | $68.86 | 2,300 |
| 19 | Human Resources Managers | $140,410 | $67.51 | 680 |
| 20 | Aerospace Engineers | $139,010 | $66.83 | 800 |
Ranked by median; an occupation whose median BLS withholds or top-codes in this area cannot appear here, however well it pays.
20 largest occupations in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Most concentrated occupations in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
The 10 occupations with the highest location quotient among those employing at least 100 people in the area. A quotient of 2.00 means the occupation's share of local jobs is twice its national share.
| Rank | Occupation | Location quotient | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ship Engineers | 34.36 | 1,420 | 1.86 | $82,370 |
| 2 | Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic | 26.46 | 770 | 1.02 | $67,540 |
| 3 | Sailors and Marine Oilers | 18.24 | 2,830 | 3.72 | $48,210 |
| 4 | Nuclear Engineers | 16.75 | 1,260 | 1.65 | $110,510 |
| 5 | Riggers | 12.22 | 1,350 | 1.77 | $64,440 |
| 6 | Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels | 11.34 | 2,050 | 2.69 | $86,940 |
| 7 | Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment | 5.58 | 190 | 0.25 | $87,860 |
| 8 | Insulation Workers, Mechanical | 5.43 | 680 | 0.90 | * |
| 9 | Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers | 5.19 | 280 | 0.37 | $67,790 |
| 10 | Sheet Metal Workers | 3.54 | 2,080 | 2.73 | $63,390 |
Occupation groups in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
| Group | Median annual | Mean annual | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $116,780 | $129,890 | 39,900 | 52.29 | 0.73 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $106,280 | $111,590 | 24,800 | 32.51 | 0.96 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $100,280 | $103,790 | 20,930 | 27.43 | 1.63 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $82,530 | $89,970 | 6,910 | 9.05 | 0.96 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $81,700 | $101,350 | 47,060 | 61.67 | 0.98 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $81,320 | $89,810 | 59,500 | 77.98 | 1.15 |
| Legal | $79,000 | $114,410 | 4,720 | 6.18 | 0.74 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $61,310 | $67,650 | 44,720 | 58.61 | 1.00 |
| Community and Social Service | $59,980 | $62,940 | 13,530 | 17.73 | 1.03 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $59,710 | $61,520 | 32,710 | 42.86 | 1.10 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $58,080 | $63,920 | 9,300 | 12.18 | 0.93 |
| Construction and Extraction | $56,410 | $57,970 | 41,190 | 53.98 | 1.31 |
| Production | $49,950 | $54,490 | 31,440 | 41.21 | 0.75 |
| Protective Service | $48,600 | $53,720 | 22,680 | 29.72 | 1.22 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $45,510 | $48,570 | 80,130 | 105.01 | 0.92 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $44,110 | $45,670 | 490 | 0.65 | 0.23 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $43,240 | $47,630 | 67,220 | 88.09 | 1.00 |
| Healthcare Support | $36,880 | $38,440 | 32,140 | 42.11 | 0.83 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $35,480 | $37,110 | 23,360 | 30.61 | 1.05 |
| Sales and Related | $35,080 | $46,290 | 65,970 | 86.45 | 1.00 |
| Personal Care and Service | $33,900 | $37,170 | 19,360 | 25.37 | 1.21 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $32,210 | $36,540 | 75,010 | 98.30 | 1.12 |
Every occupation in Virginia and North Carolina, and the area's place among the state's metros, is on the state profiles. All 593 published occupations for this area are in the wage explorer; other metros are on the metros hub.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC estimates (area 47260).
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Jobs per 1,000 is the occupation's employment per 1,000 jobs in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC area; the location quotient is that share divided by the national share.
- The concentration table keeps only occupations with employment of 100 or more in the area, so a quotient built on a handful of rounded jobs cannot top it.
- The area spans Virginia and North Carolina; its figures are the whole MSA, as BLS publishes them, under the primary state Virginia.