StateRates

Harrisonburg salaries

The median worker in the Harrisonburg, VA metro area earned $45,610 a year in 2024, about $21.93 an hour. That ranks #237 of the 391 metro areas published here, 7.9% below the national median.

Virginia

Median pay $45,610 $21.93 per hour
Vs national -7.9% U.S. $49,500
Workers 65,270 wage and salary
Metro rank #237 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Harrisonburg pays 14% 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
Production Workers, All Other 9.26× 1,090 $35,170
Coaches and Scouts 4.7× 500 $24,960
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators 3.65× 1,240 $55,470
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders 3.1× 500 $63,370
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 1.73× 1,520 $55,230
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1.56× 1,450 $32,170
Fast Food and Counter Workers 1.55× 2,470 $29,060
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1.52× 550 $30,100
Stockers and Order Fillers 1.4× 1,650 $36,460
Waiters and Waitresses 1.3× 1,270 $36,970
Cooks, Restaurant 1.29× 790 $36,170
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers 1.24× 590 $46,560

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Harrisonburg
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Software Developers $99,900 $48.03 230
General and Operations Managers $87,720 $42.17 1,130
Project Management Specialists $82,770 $39.79 340
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $81,450 $39.16 310
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $75,700 n/a 400
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education $74,770 n/a 650
Accountants and Auditors $74,650 $35.89 450
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $74,280 n/a 320
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors $69,820 $33.57 210
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $68,990 $33.17 460
Education Teachers, Postsecondary $66,470 n/a 220
Human Resources Specialists $65,100 $31.30 270
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $64,810 $31.16 280
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary $64,520 n/a 200
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $64,490 $31.01 590
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $64,310 $30.92 370
Business Operations Specialists, All Other $64,030 $30.78 250
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders $63,370 $30.47 500
Industrial Machinery Mechanics $62,410 $30.00 430
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $61,830 $29.72 410
Electricians $61,650 $29.64 360
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $61,140 $29.40 250
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $61,060 $29.35 220
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists $58,700 $28.22 220
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $58,650 $28.20 330
Training and Development Specialists $58,190 $27.98 230
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors $58,020 $27.89 200
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers $57,510 $27.65 300
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators $55,470 $26.67 1,240
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $55,230 $26.55 1,520
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel $54,390 $26.15 330
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters $53,580 $25.76 290
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators $49,120 $23.62 230
Carpenters $49,090 $23.60 370
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General $48,660 $23.39 690
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers $46,560 $22.39 590
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $46,250 $22.24 320
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $45,900 $22.07 550
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics $45,750 $22.00 330
Bus Drivers, School $45,120 $21.69 220
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $43,410 $20.87 530
Bartenders $42,530 $20.45 330
Office Clerks, General $41,600 $20.00 1,000
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive $41,390 $19.90 620
Pharmacy Technicians $40,760 $19.59 350
Construction Laborers $40,320 $19.39 440
Packers and Packagers, Hand $39,300 $18.90 360
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants $39,150 $18.82 230
Counter and Rental Clerks $39,040 $18.77 270
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks $38,550 $18.53 480
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers $38,470 $18.50 490
Medical Assistants $38,130 $18.33 320
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria $37,910 $18.22 200
Parts Salespersons $37,820 $18.18 200
Nursing Assistants $37,720 $18.14 590
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $37,610 $18.08 290
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand $37,430 $17.99 1,070
Food Processing Workers, All Other $37,250 $17.91 290
Security Guards $36,990 $17.79 200
Waiters and Waitresses $36,970 $17.77 1,270

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Harrisonburg by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Fast Food and Counter Workers 2,470 $29,060 $13.97
Retail Salespersons 1,840 $30,210 $14.52
Stockers and Order Fillers 1,650 $36,460 $17.53
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 1,520 $55,230 $26.55
Cashiers 1,480 $28,820 $13.86
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1,450 $32,170 $15.46
Waiters and Waitresses 1,270 $36,970 $17.77
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators 1,240 $55,470 $26.67
General and Operations Managers 1,130 $87,720 $42.17
Production Workers, All Other 1,090 $35,170 $16.91
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 1,070 $37,430 $17.99
Office Clerks, General 1,000 $41,600 $20.00
Cooks, Restaurant 790 $36,170 $17.39
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 720 $27,070 $13.02
Customer Service Representatives 690 $36,440 $17.52
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 690 $48,660 $23.39
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 650 $74,770 n/a
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 620 $41,390 $19.90
Nursing Assistants 590 $37,720 $18.14
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers 590 $46,560 $22.39

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

Harrisonburg pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Harrisonburg?

The median across all occupations is $45,610, or $21.93 an hour, covering 65,270 wage and salary workers. The mean is $55,750, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Harrisonburg pay more than the rest of Virginia?

No. The metro median of $45,610 is 14% 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 Harrisonburg?

Software Developers ($99,900), General and Operations Managers ($87,720), Project Management Specialists ($82,770). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Harrisonburg unusually full of?

Production Workers, All Other, at 9.26× 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.