Chief Executives Salary
Chief Executives in Virginia make a median of $310,740 a year, or about $149.4 an hour. The range runs from $130K at the entry level to $604K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $327,819 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,646/month, or 9.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $311K get you in Virginia?
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What this looks like in Virginia
Virginia sits well above the national pay line for chief executives, local pay runs about 45% higher than the U.S. median of $214K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,646/month, 9.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Virginia offers a genuinely strong financial position for chief executivess at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level chief executives (10th percentile) start around $130K. Mid-career wages sit at $311K. Top earners bring in $604K or more, a $474K spread from bottom to top.
Chief Executives salary by metro in Virginia
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $326K | +5% | 820 |
| Charlottesville | $318K | +2% | 180 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $297K | -4% | 530 |
| Harrisonburg | $265K | -15% | 40 |
| Roanoke | $258K | -17% | 100 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft | $226K | -27% | 40 |
| Winchester | $222K | -29% | 90 |
| Lynchburg | $219K | -29% | 160 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $208K | -33% | 50 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chief executif afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
Yes — at the median salary of $311K, rent takes 9.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chief executives in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chief executives typically earn — is $130K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,800/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 21% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is chief executif a high-paying job in Virginia?
Local pay is 45% above the national median — $311K here vs. $214K nationally.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for chief executives?
Virginia pays $311K median vs. the U.S. average of $214K — that’s +45%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $328K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chief executives make in Virginia?
The median is $310,740 a year, that works out to about $149 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $130,000, and experienced chief executives can clear $604,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $311K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $16,993/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 9.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a chief executives salary go in Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chief executives salary is worth about $327,819 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do chief executives get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.