Top 100 highest-paying jobs in Southwestern Virginia nonmetropolitan area

Table 1 compares the top 100 highest-paying jobs in Southwestern Virginia nonmetropolitan area, ranked by annual average salary. For each job, the table displays the number of employees with that job, as well as the job's entry-level salary. (The entry-level salary is calculated based on the 10% of paid workers with the lowest salaries.)

Based on the table, we see that the highest-paying jobs in Southwestern Virginia nonmetropolitan area are those of family medicine physician, with an average annual salary of $215,370. The second highest-paying jobs are those of general dentist, with an average salary of $159,470.

All of the shown salary and employment information for Southwestern Virginia nonmetropolitan area has been computed using data published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in April 2023. Notably, the highest-paying occupations change from year to year. Tables 2, 3, and 4 show the top 10 highest-paying occupations in Southwestern Virginia nonmetropolitan area in 2021, 2020, and 2019.

Table 1. Top 100 highest-paying jobs in Southwestern Virginia nonmetropolitan area (2022 survey)

Rank	Job Description	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	No. of Empl i
1	Family Medicine Physicians	$215,370	$111,430	220
2	General Dentists	$159,470	$101,720	110
3	Sales Managers	$136,140	$69,990	90
4	Computer and Information Systems Managers	$128,830	$71,040	80
5	Pharmacists	$127,480	$91,500	320
6	Marketing Managers	$127,250	$74,980	50
7	Chief Executives	$127,050	$19,760	90
8	Architectural and Engineering Managers	$125,240	$94,990	70
9	Optometrists	$122,960	$62,030	50
10	Financial Managers	$114,550	$78,340	200
11	Information Security Analysts	$110,740	$66,670	80
12	Human Resources Managers	$109,710	$72,940	40
13	Physician Assistants	$107,390	$29,710	110
14	Nurse Practitioners	$105,360	$78,080	260
15	All Other Managers	$104,970	$50,060	140
16	Computer Network Architects	$104,300	$64,850	40
17	Postsecondary Education Administrators	$103,060	$62,480	80
18	Mining and Geological Engineers	$101,910	$81,700	70
19	Software Developers	$101,580	$53,100	310
20	Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products Sales Representatives	$99,990	$32,760	40
21	Industrial Production Managers	$99,940	$61,530	160
22	Electrical Engineers	$97,660	$63,540	80
23	Veterinarians	$95,700	$55,570	60
24	Physical Therapists	$95,620	$63,840	250
25	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers	$94,390	$63,150	30
26	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers	$91,230	$53,970	40
27	Medical and Health Services Managers	$90,880	$58,210	270
28	Occupational Therapists	$87,300	$67,500	100
29	Mechanical Engineers	$87,120	$52,180	110
30	Power Plant Operators	$85,670	$41,200	40
31	Administrative Services Managers	$85,250	$53,800	60
32	Construction Managers	$83,120	$53,800	120
33	Postmasters and Mail Superintendents	$82,280	$75,340	50
34	Clinical and Counseling Psychologists	$81,890	$52,380	30
35	Chemists	$81,320	$47,310	40
36	Project Management Specialists	$81,120	$46,770	250
37	General and Operations Managers	$80,670	$39,820	1,950
38	Lawyers	$80,260	$52,260	240
39	Elementary and Secondary School Education Administrators	$80,170	$64,120	290
40	Speech-Language Pathologists	$79,750	$59,380	110
41	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators	$79,440	$44,800	50
42	Industrial Engineers	$79,400	$58,270	240
43	Electronics Engineers (Non Computer)	$78,950	$57,820	30
44	Management Analysts	$78,250	$49,600	230
45	Dental Hygienists	$77,470	$51,380	120
46	Database Administrators	$77,130	$48,480	40
47	Civil Engineers	$76,010	$58,860	90
48	Commercial and Industrial Designers	$75,790	$36,900	50
49	Network and Computer Systems Administrators	$74,860	$48,660	170
50	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers	$74,040	$48,170	150
51	Facilities Managers	$73,940	$58,620	70
52	Diagnostic Medical Sonographers	$73,360	$53,290	30
53	First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives	$73,360	$47,950	130
54	Social and Community Service Managers	$72,960	$49,980	100
55	Web and Digital Interface Designers	$72,570	$27,920	30
56	Occupational Health and Safety Specialists	$72,400	$43,490	230
57	Financial Analysts	$72,340	$45,250	40
58	Compliance Officers	$67,700	$38,790	170
59	Computer Systems Analysts	$66,190	$46,800	220
60	Detectives and Criminal Investigators	$65,120	$40,690	100
61	Logisticians	$65,000	$48,960	60
62	Postsecondary Nursing Instructors and Teachers	$64,980	$48,440	80
63	Other Business Operations Specialists	$64,460	$36,110	230
64	Registered Nurses	$64,430	$47,850	1,890
65	Postsecondary Computer Science Teachers	$64,290	$49,180	50
66	Loan Officers	$63,790	$37,720	130
67	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers	$63,710	$44,770	100
68	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers	$63,640	$39,600	510
69	Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technicians	$63,630	$38,030	60
70	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door	$63,630	$44,060	40
71	Postsecondary Education Teachers	$63,620	$47,710	40
72	Physical Therapist Assistants	$63,480	$41,320	170
73	Postsecondary Art, Drama, and Music Teachers	$63,060	$49,410	50
74	Other Postsecondary Teachers	$63,050	$48,530	50
75	Postsecondary English Language and Literature Teachers	$62,810	$46,560	50
76	Occupational Therapy Assistants	$62,540	$46,690	90
77	Postsecondary Biological Science Teachers	$62,230	$50,360	50
78	Dietitians and Nutritionists	$61,440	$38,110	60
79	Wholesale and Manufacturing (Except Technical and Scientific Products) Sales Representatives	$61,120	$31,510	630
80	Buyers and Purchasing Agents	$60,990	$38,420	260
81	Respiratory Therapists	$60,510	$48,590	90
82	Maintenance Workers, Machinery	$60,390	$30,100	100
83	Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers	$60,180	$35,500	110
84	Surveyors	$60,040	$31,820	40
85	Accountants and Auditors	$59,940	$37,690	740
86	Educational, Guidance, School, and Vocational Counselors	$59,910	$39,490	230
87	Industrial Engineering Technicians	$59,860	$37,010	40
88	Postsecondary Mathematical Science Teachers	$59,810	$49,230	40
89	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers	$59,590	$38,170	1,040
90	Computer Network Support Specialists	$59,260	$38,320	40
91	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines	$58,870	$40,460	270
92	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers	$58,300	$40,250	690
93	Postal Service Clerks	$58,180	$39,770	170
94	Electricians	$58,160	$37,660	340
95	Human Resources Specialists	$57,690	$36,400	440
96	Environmental Scientists and Health Specialists	$55,890	$39,270	40
97	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel	$55,720	$29,060	370
98	Cost Estimators	$54,980	$38,280	130
99	All Other Physicians	$54,380	$52,040	70
100	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians	$53,970	$31,220	170

Table 2. Top 10 highest-paying jobs in Southwestern Virginia nonmetropolitan area – 2021 survey

Rank	Job Description	Average Salary i
1	Family Medicine Physicians	$168,150
2	Chief Executives	$127,050
3	Pharmacists	$126,860
4	General Dentists	$126,050
5	Marketing Managers	$124,220
6	Optometrists	$122,960
7	Computer and Information Systems Managers	$120,500
8	Architectural and Engineering Managers	$119,870
9	Physician Assistants	$119,390
10	Financial Managers	$119,190

Table 3. Top 10 highest-paying jobs in Southwestern Virginia nonmetropolitan area – 2020 survey

Rank	Job Description	Average Salary i
1	All Other Physicians; and Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric	$207,030
2	Family Medicine Physicians	$190,440
3	General Dentists	$156,580
4	Pharmacists	$121,520
5	Physician Assistants	$120,090
6	Computer and Information Systems Managers	$113,450
7	Architectural and Engineering Managers	$111,190
8	Sales Managers	$109,230
9	Occupational Therapists	$103,160
10	Construction Managers	$98,870

Table 4. Top 10 highest-paying jobs in Southwestern Virginia nonmetropolitan area – 2019 survey

Rank	Job Description	Average Salary i
1	All Other Physicians; and Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric	$194,170
2	Family Medicine Physicians	$173,090
3	Pharmacists	$120,680
4	General Dentists	$119,000
5	Computer and Information Systems Managers	$115,610
6	Architectural and Engineering Managers	$110,770
7	Physician Assistants	$107,840
8	Sales Managers	$101,340
9	Construction Managers	$100,390
10	Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products Sales Representatives	$98,950

Also see The most popular jobs in Southwestern Virginia nonmetropolitan area.

Also see The most popular jobs in Virginia, The top paying jobs in Virginia.