What does a Dentists, All Other Specialists salary really buy you in Virginia?
Virginia is 2.1% pricier than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Virginia's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 102.1, meaning prices are 2.1% higher the national average. A Dentists, All Other Specialists earning $219,460 in Virginia has the equivalent purchasing power of $214,946 in an average-cost US state.
Virginia's cost of living is close to the national average, so $219,460 keeps most of its value at $214,946 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
Where does Dentists, All Other Specialists salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Virginia ranks #14 out of 20 states for Dentists, All Other Specialists after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Dentists, All Other Specialists in Virginia earns a median salary of $219,460 per year. After adjusting for Virginia's cost of living (RPP=102.1), the real purchasing power is $214,946 — 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 Dentists, All Other Specialists in Virginia: $219,460 x (100 / 102.1) = $214,946. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Dentists, All Other Specialists's nominal salary of $219,460 in Virginia has 2.1% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $214,946. However, Virginia may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.