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What does a Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary 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 Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary earning $119,940 in Virginia has the equivalent purchasing power of $117,473 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) | $65,240 | $63,898 | $-1,341 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $96,950 | $94,955 | $-1,994 |
| Median (P50) | $119,940 | $117,473 | $-2,466 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $163,710 | $160,342 | $-3,367 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $214,740 | $210,323 | $-4,416 |
Virginia's cost of living is close to the national average, so $119,940 keeps most of its value at $117,473 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 Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary 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, $119,940 nominal nets out to $117,473 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 Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, Virginia places #6 of 40 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Virginia ranks #6 out of 40 states for Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary take-home pay in Virginia after taxes →
A Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary in Virginia earns a median salary of $119,940 per year. After adjusting for Virginia's cost of living (RPP=102.1), the real purchasing power is $117,473 — 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 Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary in Virginia: $119,940 x (100 / 102.1) = $117,473. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary's nominal salary of $119,940 in Virginia has 2.1% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $117,473. However, Virginia may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.
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