RN Salary by Role in Virginia
RN Pay by Metro in Virginia
Where you work inside Virginia moves your paycheck. Here is what registered nurses earn in each major Virginia market, compared with the national RN median of $97,550. Tap a metro for hospitals, openings and cost of living.
| Metro | Median RN pay | Typical range | NP median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $93,580 | $79,810 – $98,530 | $127,820 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | $89,450 | $77,230 – $97,330 | $124,530 |
Powered by RN Workforce Insights™. Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile.
About RN Pay in Virginia
RN salaries in Virginia sit close to the national average, with staff nurses earning around $77,000 a year.
Pay climbs steadily with experience and responsibility. New grad RNs in Virginia typically start around $56,000, while nurses who move into specialty units like the ICU, ER, or OR can expect closer to $87,000. Stepping into leadership pays off too — nurse managers average around $97,000, directors of nursing around $112,000, and chief nursing officers can earn $133,000 or more. Nurses who pursue advanced practice (NP, CNS, CRNA, or CNM) report average earnings near $97,000.
As a Nurse Licensure Compact member, Virginia issues multistate RN and LPN licenses to residents, allowing nurses to practice across other compact states without applying for a separate license — a real advantage for travel nursing or remote telehealth work.
As with any state, factor in local cost of living and taxes alongside salary when evaluating job offers in Virginia.
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