Virginia's unemployment sits below the national rate, yet total jobs are shrinking and every posting now needs a pay range. Here is what that means for how you recruit.
Virginia's labor market is cooling without going slack. Unemployment is 3.6%, up from 3.3% a year earlier but still below the U.S. rate of 4.2%. Total nonfarm jobs changed −0.9% over the year. More people are looking, but the pool is not deep, and the job openings rate of 4.8% still runs well ahead of the hires rate of 3.1%.
The mix is shifting too. Professional and business services, the largest sector at 18.6% of jobs, pulled back −1.8%. Leisure and hospitality grew +0.7%. Candidates are moving between sectors, and the employers who reach them first and show pay clearly are the ones who fill shifts.
That last point is now a requirement. Virginia employers must include a wage or salary range in every public and internal job posting. The tables below cover the labor snapshot, wages by role, the industry mix and the hiring rules, with practical advice on how to act on each.
Openings at 4.8% against hires at 3.1% mean many roles sit open longer than employers want, and a quits rate of 2.0% suggests employed workers are not leaving easily. Rising unemployment adds applicants, but you still have to win them on speed and clarity.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, CES, JOLTS). "Preliminary" figures may be revised. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
| Occupation | 10th pct. | Median | 90th pct. | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales representatives of services | $18.13 | $34.92 | $81.54 | 41,390 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing | $18.17 | $30.48 | $71.49 | 22,570 |
| Telemarketers | $14.89 | $18.00 | $29.83 | — |
| Customer service representatives | $15.00 | $20.54 | $29.49 | 59,850 |
| Retail salespersons | $13.24 | $16.46 | $22.40 | 100,290 |
| Cashiers | $13.00 | $14.70 | $18.00 | 83,890 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers | $14.93 | $18.94 | $25.82 | 58,000 |
| Fast food and counter workers | $13.04 | $14.48 | $18.05 | 104,460 |
| Janitors and cleaners | $13.60 | $16.91 | $22.71 | 65,970 |
| Sales managers | $45.53 | $91.89 | $145.63 | 9,670 |
Most hourly roles in the table pay at or slightly below the national median, while sales managers earn $91.89 at the median against $71.28 nationally. With the state minimum wage at $12.77, entry pay for cashiers and counter workers sits close to the floor, so small differences in posted ranges carry real weight.
789,700 jobs · 18.6% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
With Professional and business services at 18.6% of jobs and down −1.8%, contact-center, sales and admin talent is more available, so build a pipeline of these candidates now.
694,000 jobs · 16.4% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Trade, transportation, and utilities holds 16.4% of jobs and grew +0.3%, so warehouse, driver and retail hiring stays steady and rewards fast, repeatable workflows.
628,000 jobs · 14.8% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Private education and health services makes up 14.8% of jobs and grew +0.4%, so keep aide, clinic and childcare pipelines open year-round rather than hiring only when someone leaves.
424,200 jobs · 10.0% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Leisure and hospitality grew +0.7% on a 10.0% share, the fastest among top sectors, so plan for high-volume server, cook and housekeeping hiring with quick scheduling.
231,300 jobs · 5.5% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Manufacturing is 5.5% of jobs and slipped −1.7%, so production and machine-operator candidates may be easier to find, but expect them to compare offers carefully.
Professional and business services still employs the most people but is contracting, while hospitality, health and trade are adding jobs. Expect experienced customer service and admin workers to be available and open to roles in growing sectors.
The rules table summarizes state requirements on pay transparency, minimum wage, background checks, ban-the-box and non-competes. This is general information, not legal advice; confirm current requirements with the relevant state agency or your employment counsel before changing your process.
Virginia bars employers from requiring applicants to disclose expunged records and, for most employers, sealed records; no state credit-check limit was identified.
Virginia's ban-the-box laws cover only state agencies and local governments as employers; they do not reach private employers.
Virginia's minimum wage is $12.77 an hour in 2026, rising by statute to $13.75 on January 1, 2027 and $15.00 on January 1, 2028.
Virginia bans non-competes for low-wage employees (below the state average weekly wage) and licensed health care professionals, and a non-compete is unenforceable if the employee is laid off without severance.
Since July 1, 2026 Virginia employers must include the wage or salary range in every public and internal job posting and may not seek applicants' pay history.
General information, not legal advice.
Employment rules change and have exceptions that depend on employer size, industry and facts. This summary reflects the sources shown as of the dates shown (legal sources checked October 15, 2026). Confirm requirements with the relevant agency or qualified counsel before acting.
Openings outpace hires, and quits are low, so the candidates who do apply are often weighing more than one offer. Reply within hours, not days. A text that confirms receipt and offers an interview slot keeps you ahead of slower employers.
Virginia now requires a wage or salary range in public and internal postings, and you may not ask about pay history. Write ranges you can actually pay, and keep them consistent across every location. For entry roles near the $12.77 floor, a clear range is often the deciding detail.
Services sales reps earn from $18.13 to $81.54 an hour, a spread driven by commission and performance pay. List the base range and the realistic earnings range as two figures. Candidates leaving contracting business services firms will compare these closely.
Professional and business services is shrinking while hospitality, health and trade grow. Customer service and admin workers have transferable skills for front-desk, clinic and dispatch roles. Segment past applicants by skill and invite them to openings in growing teams.
Leisure and hospitality is the fastest-growing top sector, and trade employs a large share of workers. Set up templates, automated reminders and batch status moves before the hiring push. That way one recruiter can handle a wave of applicants without letting anyone go quiet.
In a market where openings outpace hires, speed decides who gets the candidate. ATS Mako's two-way texting and automations let you reply to new Virginia applicants in minutes and trigger follow-ups on status changes. The template library helps you keep pay ranges and lockable legal sections consistent across every posting and message. When hospitality or retail hiring spikes, bulk actions let you message, move and manage large applicant groups at once, so no one falls through while you staff up.
Unemployment is 3.6%, below the U.S. rate of 4.2%, though up from a year ago. The job openings rate of 4.8% is well above the hires rate of 3.1%, which means many roles stay open longer. Fast responses and clear pay help close that gap.
According to the rules on this page, Virginia employers must include the wage or salary range in every public and internal job posting and may not seek applicants' pay history. This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm the details with the state agency or your counsel.
Use the wage table as a starting point. Many hourly roles, such as cashiers at a median of $14.70 and fast food workers at $14.48, sit near or slightly below national medians. The state minimum wage is $12.77, with scheduled increases listed in the rules table.
Yes, texting is a practical way to reach candidates quickly, but get clear opt-in consent before you send recruiting texts. Honor STOP and other opt-out requests right away, and keep a record of consent. Check specific requirements with your counsel.
Prepare before the rush. Set up apply pages, message templates, automated interview reminders and batch status updates in advance. Leisure and hospitality grew +0.7% over the year, so plan for sustained volume, not a single spike.
Per the rules on this page, Virginia's ban-the-box laws cover only state agencies and local governments, not private employers. Virginia does bar employers from requiring applicants to disclose expunged records and, for most employers, sealed records. Confirm your process with counsel before making changes.
Sources and data currency
Labor data as of August 2026; wage data May 2025; rules checked October 15, 2026. Next scheduled review: January 20, 2027. This page is educational market information for employers.
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