What does a Physicists 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 Physicists earning $164,180 in Virginia has the equivalent purchasing power of $160,803 in an average-cost US state.
Virginia's cost of living is close to the national average, so $164,180 keeps most of its value at $160,803 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
Where does Physicists salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Virginia ranks #16 out of 39 states for Physicists after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Physicists in Virginia earns a median salary of $164,180 per year. After adjusting for Virginia's cost of living (RPP=102.1), the real purchasing power is $160,803 — 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 Physicists in Virginia: $164,180 x (100 / 102.1) = $160,803. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Physicists's nominal salary of $164,180 in Virginia has 2.1% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $160,803. However, Virginia may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.