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What does a Economists 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 Economists earning $137,590 in Virginia has the equivalent purchasing power of $134,760 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) | $74,600 | $73,065 | $-1,534 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $93,920 | $91,988 | $-1,931 |
| Median (P50) | $137,590 | $134,760 | $-2,829 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $179,730 | $176,033 | $-3,696 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $232,410 | $227,629 | $-4,780 |
Virginia's cost of living is close to the national average, so $137,590 keeps most of its value at $134,760 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 Economists 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, $137,590 nominal nets out to $134,760 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 Economists.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Economists, Virginia places #9 of 40 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Economists salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Virginia ranks #9 out of 40 states for Economists after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Economists take-home pay in Virginia after taxes →
A Economists in Virginia earns a median salary of $137,590 per year. After adjusting for Virginia's cost of living (RPP=102.1), the real purchasing power is $134,760 — 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 Economists in Virginia: $137,590 x (100 / 102.1) = $134,760. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Economists's nominal salary of $137,590 in Virginia has 2.1% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $134,760. However, Virginia may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.
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