SOC 51-9012 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — Virginia
Virginia · 7 metro areas compared
The median wage for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in Virginia is $59,480 per year, 15.2% above the national median of $51,610.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -4.3%
- Openings per year
- 5,400
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Virginia.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
The median wage for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in Virginia is $59,480 per year, 15.2% above the national median of $51,610. Half of workers earn between $47,940 and $78,400. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $37,460 and the ninetieth at $80,820.
Employment stands at 2,130, or 0.5 jobs per thousand held locally. Virginia ranks number 5th out of 50 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, Virginia Beach records the highest median at $76,350. Of the 747 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 396th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $37,460 | −27.4% |
| 25th | $47,940 | −7.1% |
| Median (50th) | $59,480 | +15.2% |
| 75th | $78,400 | +51.9% |
| 90th | $80,820 | +56.6% |
| Mean | $62,230 | +20.6% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Virginia
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia Beach | $76,350 | 530 | |
| 2 | Charlottesville | $55,970 | 170 | |
| 3 | Richmond | $55,960 | 230 | |
| 4 | Lynchburg | $51,520 | 120 | |
| 5 | Staunton | $49,180 | 30 | |
| 6 | Roanoke | $48,610 | — | |
| 7 | Blacksburg | $46,430 | 30 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Virginia sit close to the national average, so $59,480 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.
Published median
$59,480as reported by BLSLocal price level
101.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$58,833US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $59,480 a year, 15.2% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $37,460 to $80,820 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 2,130 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 5th of 50 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Virginia Beach, at $76,350.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in Virginia?
The median annual wage is $59,480, or $28.60 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $51,610, so pay in Virginia is 15.2% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Virginia earns more than $80,820 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $37,460 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Virginia Beach, at $76,350 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 2,130 jobs in this occupation in Virginia. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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