
Fastest-growing jobs in Virginia
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis revealed that, as of September 2025, the national hiring rate has reached a decade low, with the exception of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Associated Press reports that several factors have contributed to this, including the impact of the eleven interest rate hikes that occurred in 2022 and 2023 and the dozens of tariffs enacted by President Donald Trump since the beginning of the year.
Economists generally agree that the long-run breakeven employment growth rate (or the rate at which new jobs need to be added to keep up with population growth) is somewhere between 70,000 and 90,000 jobs per month. However, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in August 2025, just 22,000 new jobs were added. June and July saw a combined 87,000 new jobs added to the workforce.
Those numbers are bleak, to be sure, but not all employment news is bad. Certain sectors, like health care and social services, continue to see rapid growth. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said average hourly earnings for all employees are also up by 3.7% over the past 12 months. The total number of hours worked per week has been edging down for all employees, providing opportunities for much-needed work-life balance.
The employment story also looks quite different from state to state. Some places, like Utah, New Mexico, Hawai'i, and Idaho, are seeing high-percentage job growth year over year; others, like Washington D.C., Iowa, and Kansas, have actually seen a shrinkage in the overall number of job openings.
Using BLS jobs data, Stacker determined the fastest-growing jobs in Virginia. Occupations were ranked by the percentage increase in employment between 2023 and 2024. Jobs were excluded from the ranking if they had fewer than 1,000 people working in them in the state.
Keep reading to learn which jobs are growing the fastest in Virginia.
#50. Psychiatric Technicians
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +26.5% (910 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 4,350
--- Employment in 2023: 3,440
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $46,040

#49. Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +27.0% (470 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,210
--- Employment in 2023: 1,740
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $31,070

#48. Occupational Therapy Assistants
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +27.3% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,260
--- Employment in 2023: 990
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $73,870

#47. Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +27.9% (380 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,740
--- Employment in 2023: 1,360
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $68,270

#46. First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +28.1% (700 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 3,190
--- Employment in 2023: 2,490
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $98,940
#45. Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +28.4% (380 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,720
--- Employment in 2023: 1,340
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $56,460

#44. Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +28.5% (370 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,670
--- Employment in 2023: 1,300
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $57,250
#43. Data Scientists
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +28.9% (1,390 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 6,200
--- Employment in 2023: 4,810
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $126,070

#42. Structural Iron and Steel Workers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +29.3% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,190
--- Employment in 2023: 920
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $58,170

#41. Mechanical Engineers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +29.4% (1,810 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 7,960
--- Employment in 2023: 6,150
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $99,350

#40. Compliance Officers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +29.7% (3,460 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 15,120
--- Employment in 2023: 11,660
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $80,990
#39. Sewing Machine Operators
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +30.0% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,690
--- Employment in 2023: 1,300
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $33,280

#38. Labor Relations Specialists
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +30.1% (250 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,080
--- Employment in 2023: 830
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $92,410

#37. Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +30.2% (1,580 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 6,820
--- Employment in 2023: 5,240
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $77,000
#36. Facilities Managers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +30.2% (610 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,630
--- Employment in 2023: 2,020
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $115,430

#35. Dental Laboratory Technicians
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +30.8% (240 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,020
--- Employment in 2023: 780
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $48,510

#34. Sheet Metal Workers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +32.1% (940 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 3,870
--- Employment in 2023: 2,930
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $58,490
#33. Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +32.6% (720 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,930
--- Employment in 2023: 2,210
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $61,470
#32. Insurance Underwriters
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +32.9% (720 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,910
--- Employment in 2023: 2,190
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $77,110

#31. Architectural and Civil Drafters
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +33.3% (580 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,320
--- Employment in 2023: 1,740
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $64,100
#30. School Bus Monitors
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +33.6% (470 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,870
--- Employment in 2023: 1,400
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $33,410

#29. News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +34.0% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,380
--- Employment in 2023: 1,030
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $63,360

#28. Physical Scientists, All Other
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +34.5% (400 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,560
--- Employment in 2023: 1,160
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $128,040

#27. Computer and Information Research Scientists
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +34.6% (810 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 3,150
--- Employment in 2023: 2,340
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $153,340

#26. Insurance Sales Agents
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +35.0% (3,650 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 14,090
--- Employment in 2023: 10,440
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $59,570

#25. Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +35.0% (5,410 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 20,860
--- Employment in 2023: 15,450
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $44,260

#24. Commercial Pilots
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +35.4% (290 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,110
--- Employment in 2023: 820
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $115,490
#23. Travel Agents
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +35.9% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,060
--- Employment in 2023: 780
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $37,860

#22. Pediatricians, General
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +37.1% (330 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,220
--- Employment in 2023: 890
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $189,070

#21. Bartenders
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +37.2% (4,300 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 15,870
--- Employment in 2023: 11,570
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $46,860

#20. Chemical Technicians
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +39.0% (300 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,070
--- Employment in 2023: 770
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $50,660

#19. Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +39.9% (1,910 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 6,700
--- Employment in 2023: 4,790
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $31,610
#18. Telemarketers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +40.1% (1,970 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 6,880
--- Employment in 2023: 4,910
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $36,380

#17. Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +40.2% (330 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,150
--- Employment in 2023: 820
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $49,130

#16. Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +43.1% (1,120 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 3,720
--- Employment in 2023: 2,600
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $46,080

#15. Physicists
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +44.8% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,260
--- Employment in 2023: 870
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $164,180
#14. Tutors
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +45.1% (1,100 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 3,540
--- Employment in 2023: 2,440
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $49,380

#13. Helpers--Carpenters
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +47.7% (520 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,610
--- Employment in 2023: 1,090
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $43,560
#12. Surgical Assistants
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +51.2% (410 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,210
--- Employment in 2023: 800
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $58,490
#11. Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +53.6% (1,550 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 4,440
--- Employment in 2023: 2,890
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $42,620
#10. Production Workers, All Other
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +56.6% (1,940 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 5,370
--- Employment in 2023: 3,430
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $36,150

#9. Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +60.3% (820 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,180
--- Employment in 2023: 1,360
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $46,850
#8. Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +61.3% (1,980 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 5,210
--- Employment in 2023: 3,230
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $47,850

#7. Demonstrators and Product Promoters
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +61.5% (880 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,310
--- Employment in 2023: 1,430
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $38,410

#6. Maintenance Workers, Machinery
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +71.2% (420 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,010
--- Employment in 2023: 590
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $63,920
#5. Computer Programmers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +72.5% (1,770 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 4,210
--- Employment in 2023: 2,440
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $111,860

#4. Biological Scientists, All Other
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +74.1% (830 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,950
--- Employment in 2023: 1,120
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $83,370
#3. Audio and Video Technicians
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +88.4% (1,290 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,750
--- Employment in 2023: 1,460
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $50,990

#2. Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +89.4% (930 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,970
--- Employment in 2023: 1,040
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $124,850

#1. Commercial and Industrial Designers
- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +228.9% (1,030 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,480
--- Employment in 2023: 450
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $78,190
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Madison Troyer, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.