Emergency Management Directors Salary
In Virginia, emergency management directors earn $99,860 at the median, or about $48.01 an hour. The range runs from $67K at the entry level to $179K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $105,349 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,646/month, or 26.1% 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 $100K get you in Virginia?
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What this looks like in Virginia
Emergency management directors pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $100K locally vs. $93K nationwide, a 7% difference. Rent runs $1,646/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level emergency management directors (10th percentile) start around $67K. Mid-career wages sit at $100K. Top earners bring in $179K or more, a $112K spread from bottom to top.
Emergency Management Directors salary by metro in Virginia
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $98K | -2% | 60 |
| Richmond | $93K | -7% | 110 |
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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 emergency management director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
Yes — at the median salary of $100K, rent takes 26.9% 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 emergency management directors in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new emergency management directors typically earn — is $67K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,031/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 41% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is emergency management director a high-paying job in Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $100K locally vs. $93K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for emergency management directors?
Virginia pays $100K median vs. the U.S. average of $93K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $105K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do emergency management directors make in Virginia?
The median is $99,860 a year, that works out to about $48 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $67,190, and experienced emergency management directors can clear $179,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $100K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,118/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 26.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a emergency management directors 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 emergency management directors salary is worth about $105,349 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do emergency management directors 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.