Cost of hiring in Richmond, VA
Customer Support Specialist is the largest of these 17 jobs in Richmond, with about 10,960 people1. Medians run from $36,400 a year for virtual receptionists to $102,170 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Richmond
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | +4.5% | 4,540 | |
| HR Assistant | +4.2% | 470 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +3.7% | 4,550 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +3.0% | 630 | |
| Bookkeeper | +1.4% | 4,890 | |
| Executive Assistant | +1.2% | 2,060 | |
| Accountant | +0.6% | 7,920 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +0.6% | 4,940 | |
| Paralegal | +0.1% | 1,930 | |
| Project Coordinator | -0.1% | 6,380 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -2.6% | 480 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -3.5% | 4,140 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -4.2% | 3,550 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -4.7% | 10,960 | |
| Office Manager | -6.9% | 6,490 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -7.2% | 340 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -12.1% | 5,710 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $42,660 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $55,045 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Richmond against the US
Richmond pays above the US median for 6 of the 17 roles, most of all for recruiters (+4.5%) and HR assistants (+4.2%), and below it for 7, furthest for sales development representatives (-12.1%). For accountants, administrative assistants, paralegals and project coordinators it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 17 is +0.1%: overall, pay here is close to the US level. Its best national standing is for marketing specialists, #22 of 516 areas by median pay; its lowest is for e-commerce order specialists, #173 of 287.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Richmond has more project coordinators (9.1% of these jobs here, against 6.7% nationally) and accountants (11.3% against 9.1%), and fewer administrative assistants (7.1% against 10.8%) and bookkeepers (7.0% against 8.7%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Austin-Round Rock, TX is nearest, at +0.1%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | +0.2% | 17 | 37,280 |
| Ithaca, NY | +0.1% | 14 | 4,920 |
| Richmond, VA | +0.1% (this area) | 17 | 69,980 |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | +0.1% | 17 | 169,360 |
| Bismarck, ND | +0.1% | 15 | 6,080 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | -0.0% | 17 | 22,320 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, marketing specialists in Richmond span $45,080–$170,120, the widest band (3.8×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $36,730–$53,830. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 10 of 17 roles, paralegals most ($44,740–$101,500 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, marketing specialists, accountants and 1 more role: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($74,660 against a $61,510 median for sales development representatives).
Richmond against Virginia
Against Virginia as a whole, Richmond pays more for 4 of 17 roles, led by marketing specialists (+6.1%) and data entry specialists (+3.5%), and less for 9, most of all project coordinators (-15.5%). It has the highest median in Virginia for accountants, marketing specialists and executive assistants and 2 more roles.
Other areas in Virginia
By jobs in these roles, Richmond is #1 of 13 areas in Virginia. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Virginia Beach-Chesapeake to the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | 69,270 | 17 |
| Roanoke, VA | 14,960 | 17 |
| Charlottesville, VA | 10,660 | 17 |
| Southwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | 8,930 | 17 |
| Lynchburg, VA | 8,420 | 17 |
| Southside Virginia (Nonmetro) | 7,620 | 17 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | 6,190 | 16 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | 4,890 | 16 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA | 4,870 | 16 |
| Northwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | 4,810 | 15 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Richmond?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $102,170 a year, about $131,832 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $36,400.
Is hiring in Richmond cheaper than the US median?
For 7 of the 17 roles, yes, most of all sales development representatives (-12.1%). 6 pay more than the US median, led by recruiters (+4.5%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.