With the country eager to put the pandemic firmly in the rear-view mirror, the American economy continued to boom in 2023. The national unemployment rate remained around 3.6%, while the total number of people employed grew to roughly 152 million, up from 148 million in 2022.
The economy has seen several significant changes in recent years. Many people are leaving expensive coastal states such as California and New York and moving to more affordable places in the Mountain West region and the South, buoyed by companies that have embraced remote work. What's more, in a reversal of past trends, wages grew the fastest for lower-earning workers.
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Stacker analyzed jobs data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine the fastest-growing jobs in Virginia. Occupations were ranked by the percentage increase in employment between 2022 and 2023. Jobs were excluded from the ranking if they had fewer than 1,000 people working in them in the state.
Keep reading to learn which jobs are growing the fastest in Virginia.
#49. Interpreters and translators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.0% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,100
--- Employment in 2022: 1,750
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $74,030
#49. Surgical technologists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.0% (370 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,220
--- Employment in 2022: 1,850
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,880
#48. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.2% (850 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,050
--- Employment in 2022: 4,200
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,100
#47. Writers and authors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.8% (330 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,920
--- Employment in 2022: 1,590
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $76,940
#46. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.9% (3,670 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 20,390
--- Employment in 2022: 16,720
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,400
#45. First-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.1% (510 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,820
--- Employment in 2022: 2,310
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,300
#44. Bakers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.3% (880 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,830
--- Employment in 2022: 3,950
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $32,730
#43. Optometrists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.3% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,480
--- Employment in 2022: 1,210
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#42. Recreation workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.3% (1,450 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,670
--- Employment in 2022: 6,220
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $32,760
#41. Construction managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.7% (1,410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,350
--- Employment in 2022: 5,940
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $106,740
#40. Outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.1% (260 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,340
--- Employment in 2022: 1,080
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $43,710
#39. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.2% (300 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,490
--- Employment in 2022: 1,190
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $61,280
#38. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.4% (330 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,630
--- Employment in 2022: 1,300
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,720
#37. Library assistants, clerical
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.5% (540 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,660
--- Employment in 2022: 2,120
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,120
#36. Marketing managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.2% (1,460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,040
--- Employment in 2022: 5,580
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $172,320
#35. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.5% (3,240 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 15,450
--- Employment in 2022: 12,210
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $41,440
#34. Healthcare support workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.8% (340 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,610
--- Employment in 2022: 1,270
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $43,010
#33. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.1% (1,020 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,780
--- Employment in 2022: 3,760
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $67,230
#32. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.2% (1,120 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,240
--- Employment in 2022: 4,120
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $76,360
#31. Fundraisers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.6% (690 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,190
--- Employment in 2022: 2,500
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $61,770
#30. Urban and regional planners
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.1% (320 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,460
--- Employment in 2022: 1,140
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $79,090
#29. Project management specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.2% (8,570 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 38,990
--- Employment in 2022: 30,420
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $108,750
#28. Food batchmakers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.1% (690 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,060
--- Employment in 2022: 2,370
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,460
#27. Brokerage clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.2% (330 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,460
--- Employment in 2022: 1,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $53,480
#26. Demonstrators and product promoters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.2% (340 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,430
--- Employment in 2022: 1,090
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,700
#25. Biological scientists, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.8% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,120
--- Employment in 2022: 850
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $89,440
#24. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.0% (2,720 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 10,960
--- Employment in 2022: 8,240
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,960
#23. Massage therapists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.5% (620 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,470
--- Employment in 2022: 1,850
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $52,030
#22. Orderlies
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.9% (370 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,430
--- Employment in 2022: 1,060
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,590
#21. Health technologists and technicians, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.4% (1,070 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,090
--- Employment in 2022: 3,020
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,910
#20. Flight attendants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +36.0% (1,000 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,780
--- Employment in 2022: 2,780
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $64,130
#19. Postsecondary teachers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +37.3% (500 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,840
--- Employment in 2022: 1,340
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $82,580
#18. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +38.1% (1,800 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,520
--- Employment in 2022: 4,720
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,640
#17. Economists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +42.1% (320 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,080
--- Employment in 2022: 760
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $141,190
#16. Library technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +43.6% (720 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,370
--- Employment in 2022: 1,650
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $39,140
#14. Miscellaneous construction and related workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +44.4% (320 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,040
--- Employment in 2022: 720
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,550
#14. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +44.4% (400 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,300
--- Employment in 2022: 900
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,750
#13. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +45.9% (1,530 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,860
--- Employment in 2022: 3,330
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $73,110
#12. Tax preparers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +49.8% (1,140 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,430
--- Employment in 2022: 2,290
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $59,940
#11. Ophthalmic medical technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +53.7% (940 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,690
--- Employment in 2022: 1,750
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,350
#10. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +54.9% (620 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,750
--- Employment in 2022: 1,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,740
#9. Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +56.9% (870 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,400
--- Employment in 2022: 1,530
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,110
#8. Psychiatric aides
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +62.0% (440 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,150
--- Employment in 2022: 710
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,650
#7. Couriers and messengers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +67.2% (920 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,290
--- Employment in 2022: 1,370
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $39,760
#6. Production workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +87.4% (1,600 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,430
--- Employment in 2022: 1,830
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,460
#5. Medical equipment repairers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +87.5% (980 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,100
--- Employment in 2022: 1,120
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $49,900
#4. Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +118.8% (1,200 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,210
--- Employment in 2022: 1,010
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,270
#3. Nurse anesthetists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +120.8% (640 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,170
--- Employment in 2022: 530
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $202,850
#2. Food processing workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +146.1% (1,110 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,870
--- Employment in 2022: 760
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,710
#1. Chemical engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +165.0% (660 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,060
--- Employment in 2022: 400
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.