Industrial Engineers Salary
Industrial Engineers in Virginia make a median of $102,550 a year, or about $49.3 an hour. The range runs from $70K at the entry level to $157K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $108,187 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,646/month, or 25.4% 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 $103K get you in Virginia?
About industrial engineers
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What this looks like in Virginia
Industrial engineers pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $103K locally vs. $102K nationwide, a 0% difference. Rent runs $1,646/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.3% 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 industrial engineers (10th percentile) start around $70K. Mid-career wages sit at $103K. Top earners bring in $157K or more, a $87K spread from bottom to top.
Industrial Engineers salary by metro in Virginia
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $103K | +1% | 740 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $102K | -1% | 1,060 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft | $101K | -2% | 110 |
| Harrisonburg | $100K | -2% | 80 |
| Lynchburg | $100K | -3% | 330 |
| Charlottesville | $100K | -3% | 120 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $98K | -4% | 420 |
| Roanoke | $94K | -9% | 370 |
| Winchester | $89K | -13% | 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 industrial engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
Yes — at the median salary of $103K, rent takes 26.3% 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 industrial engineers in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new industrial engineers typically earn — is $70K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,193/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 39% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is industrial engineer a high-paying job in Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $103K locally vs. $102K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for industrial engineers?
Virginia pays $103K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $108K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do industrial engineers make in Virginia?
The median is $102,550 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $69,880, and experienced industrial engineers can clear $157,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $103K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,263/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 26.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a industrial engineers 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 industrial engineers salary is worth about $108,187 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do industrial engineers 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.