StateRates

Charlottesville salaries

The median worker in the Charlottesville, VA metro area earned $51,740 a year in 2024, about $24.88 an hour. That ranks #54 of the 391 metro areas published here, 4.5% above the national median.

Virginia

Median pay $51,740 $24.88 per hour
Vs national +4.5% U.S. $49,500
Workers 112,830 wage and salary
Metro rank #54 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Charlottesville pays 2.4% less than Virginia as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.

Unusually concentrated here

Occupations against their national share, 2024
Occupation Concentration Employed Median
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists 6.22× 710 $61,990
Physicians, All Other 4.11× 950 $212,870
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 2.26× 1,420 $33,800
Nursing Assistants 1.71× 1,740 $38,870
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term 1.6× 560 $29,800
Dishwashers 1.5× 520 $33,340
Management Analysts 1.37× 900 $92,340
Bartenders 1.33× 730 $46,390
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers 1.31× 910 $38,040
Cooks, Restaurant 1.29× 1,370 $36,730
Electricians 1.29× 700 $62,500
Waiters and Waitresses 1.26× 2,130 $37,960

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Charlottesville
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Physicians, All Other $212,870 $102.34 950
Computer and Information Systems Managers $163,230 $78.48 400
Financial Managers $159,700 $76.78 520
Sales Managers $153,490 $73.79 220
Pharmacists $137,030 $65.88 300
Managers, All Other $136,420 $65.59 450
Lawyers $132,240 $63.58 390
Nurse Practitioners $129,260 $62.15 450
Software Developers $127,910 $61.50 1,320
Medical and Health Services Managers $124,360 $59.79 340
Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other $118,830 $57.13 360
Computer Systems Analysts $106,790 $51.34 490
Construction Managers $104,450 $50.22 260
Administrative Services Managers $103,720 $49.86 220
Physical Therapists $102,590 $49.32 230
General and Operations Managers $102,070 $49.07 2,300
Network and Computer Systems Administrators $97,620 $46.93 260
Project Management Specialists $96,930 $46.60 920
Registered Nurses $95,180 $45.76 2,850
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary $92,410 n/a 240
Management Analysts $92,340 $44.40 900
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists $81,020 $38.95 250
Accountants and Auditors $80,850 $38.87 1,070
Instructional Coordinators $80,300 $38.61 250
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $80,200 $38.56 760
Compliance Officers $79,380 $38.16 330
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $78,900 $37.93 720
Human Resources Specialists $77,340 $37.19 600
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $77,020 $37.03 340
Buyers and Purchasing Agents $76,050 $36.56 390
Training and Development Specialists $75,360 $36.23 320
Public Relations Specialists $75,030 $36.07 350
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $73,780 $35.47 200
Fundraisers $71,930 $34.58 230
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants $67,810 $32.60 310
Business Operations Specialists, All Other $64,740 $31.12 820
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $63,630 $30.59 390
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $63,430 $30.50 760
Biological Technicians $62,980 $30.28 280
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $62,790 $30.19 400
Electricians $62,500 $30.05 700
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists $61,990 $29.81 710
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors $61,990 $29.80 450
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers $61,980 $29.80 400
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education $61,120 n/a 1,050
Computer User Support Specialists $61,000 $29.33 430
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $60,650 n/a 830
Insurance Sales Agents $60,480 $29.08 310
Medical Records Specialists $60,460 $29.07 210
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel $60,240 $28.96 910
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $59,750 n/a 550
Graphic Designers $59,170 $28.45 200
Loan Officers $59,040 $28.39 460
Chefs and Head Cooks $58,860 $28.30 200
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $58,590 $28.17 440
Child, Family, and School Social Workers $58,220 $27.99 230
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners $56,660 $27.24 240
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics $55,650 $26.75 420
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters $54,400 $26.16 280
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $54,100 $26.01 240

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Charlottesville by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Fast Food and Counter Workers 2,860 $30,140 $14.49
Registered Nurses 2,850 $95,180 $45.76
Retail Salespersons 2,610 $31,200 $15.00
General and Operations Managers 2,300 $102,070 $49.07
Waiters and Waitresses 2,130 $37,960 $18.25
Cashiers 2,020 $29,800 $14.33
Office Clerks, General 1,920 $44,100 $21.20
Nursing Assistants 1,740 $38,870 $18.69
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 1,730 $27,690 $13.31
Stockers and Order Fillers 1,500 $35,070 $16.86
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1,420 $33,800 $16.25
Cooks, Restaurant 1,370 $36,730 $17.66
Software Developers 1,320 $127,910 $61.50
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 1,310 $51,090 $24.56
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1,230 $34,570 $16.62
Customer Service Representatives 1,190 $38,900 $18.70
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 1,090 $49,500 $23.80
Accountants and Auditors 1,070 $80,850 $38.87
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 1,050 $61,120 n/a
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 1,030 $47,640 $22.90

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.

Other Virginia metro areas

Charlottesville pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Charlottesville?

The median across all occupations is $51,740, or $24.88 an hour, covering 112,830 wage and salary workers. The mean is $71,000, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Charlottesville pay more than the rest of Virginia?

No. The metro median of $51,740 is 2.4% below the Virginia median of $53,020. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.

Which jobs pay best in Charlottesville?

Physicians, All Other ($212,870), Computer and Information Systems Managers ($163,230), Financial Managers ($159,700). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Charlottesville unusually full of?

Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists, at 6.22× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.