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What does a Air Traffic Controllers salary really buy you in Virginia?
Virginia is 2.1% pricier than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Virginia's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 102.1, meaning prices are 2.1% higher the national average. A Air Traffic Controllers earning $191,820 in Virginia has the equivalent purchasing power of $187,874 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Virginia's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $94,330 | $92,389 | $-1,940 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $140,480 | $137,590 | $-2,889 |
| Median (P50) | $191,820 | $187,874 | $-3,945 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $214,360 | $209,951 | $-4,408 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $225,680 | $221,038 | $-4,641 |
Virginia's cost of living is close to the national average, so $191,820 keeps most of its value at $187,874 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
With an RPP of 102.1, Virginia is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Air Traffic Controllers is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.
After adjusting for Virginia's cost of living, $191,820 nominal nets out to $187,875 in real purchasing power — a small 2.1% loss. The state's cost profile is close enough to average that COL alone shouldn't drive location decisions for this Air Traffic Controllers.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Air Traffic Controllers, Virginia places #1 of 43 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Air Traffic Controllers salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Virginia ranks #1 out of 43 states for Air Traffic Controllers after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Air Traffic Controllers take-home pay in Virginia after taxes →
A Air Traffic Controllers in Virginia earns a median salary of $191,820 per year. After adjusting for Virginia's cost of living (RPP=102.1), the real purchasing power is $187,874 — a -2.1% difference.
Virginia's cost of living is 2.1% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Virginia is 102.1 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Air Traffic Controllers in Virginia: $191,820 x (100 / 102.1) = $187,874. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Air Traffic Controllers's nominal salary of $191,820 in Virginia has 2.1% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $187,874. However, Virginia may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.
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