Among 10 metropolitan areas in Virginia, only Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Va.-Md.-W.Va. had wages significantly above the national average for secondary, middle, and elementary school teachers, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Sheila Watkins, the Bureau’s regional commissioner, noted that the Danville, Lynchburg, Roanoke, and Winchester areas had wages that were significantly below the national averages in all three selected occupations. Nationwide, the average (mean) wage for secondary school teachers was $59,330; for middle school teachers, $57,620; and for elementary school teachers, $56,830. (See table A. For comprehensive definitions of metropolitan areas in the Commonwealth of Virginia, please see Technical Note.) 

Of the 10 metropolitan areas in the commonwealth, the Washington area had the largest number of teaching jobs, with 58,720 in the three teaching occupations combined. Elsewhere, teaching jobs in the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News and Richmond areas totaled 15,460 and 11,380, respectively. Teacher employment levels in each of the remaining areas were less than 3,000. (See table B.)

Table A. Average (mean) annual wages for secondary, middle, and elementary school teachers in the United States and metropolitan areas in Virginia, May 2014

Area	Secondary School	Middle School	Elementary School
United States	$59,330	$57,620	$56,830
Virginia	62,110	59,680	60,430
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford	60,810	58,780	60,710*
Charlottesville	66,420	62,240	62,660
Danville	47,280*	50,680*	38,420*
Harrisonburg	--	46,320*	39,560*
Lynchburg	42,200*	43,030*	42,940*
Richmond	56,990*	55,000*	55,290
Roanoke	48,540*	47,030*	46,860*
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News	58,460	57,890	57,850
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria	70,240*	70,650*	68,700*
Winchester	51,520*	50,980*	48,600*
* The mean annual wage for this area is significantly different from the national average of all areas at the 90-percent confidence level.
-- Estimate not released.

Table B. Employment for secondary, middle, and elementary school teachers in the United States and metropolitan areas in Virginia, May 2014

Area	Secondary School	Middle School	Elementary School
United States	960,380	630,620	1,353,020
Virginia	23,920	16,860	36,040
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford	330	250	520
Charlottesville	710	510	1,100
Danville	410	290	700
Harrisonburg	--	300	--
Lynchburg	720	410	910
Richmond	3,980	2,710	4,690
Roanoke	740	390	1,030
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News	4,500	3,760	7,200
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria	18,140	12,820	27,760
Winchester	380	270	620
-- Estimate not released.

Wages for secondary school teachers in metropolitan areas in Virginia

Secondary school teachers in Washington earned $70,240 per year; this was the only metropolitan area in the state with a mean wage significantly above the U.S. average of $59,330 for this occupation. Wages were significantly below average for this occupation in 5 of the 10 areas in Virginia—Danville ($47,280), Lynchburg ($42,200), Richmond ($56,990), Roanoke ($48,540), and Winchester ($51,520).

Wages for middle school teachers in metropolitan areas in Virginia

In Washington, middle school teachers earned $70,650 per year, significantly above the U.S. average of $57,620. Six metropolitan areas had wages significantly below the national average for middle school teachers—Danville ($50,680), Harrisonburg ($46,320), Lynchburg ($43,030), Richmond ($55,000), Roanoke ($47,030), and Winchester ($50,980).

Wages for elementary school teachers in metropolitan areas in Virginia

Two localities in Virginia posted average annual wages for elementary school teachers that were significantly higher than the $56,830 national average—Washington ($68,700) and Blacksburg ($60,710). Five areas had average wages for elementary school teachers significantly below the national average—Danville ($38,420), Harrisonburg ($39,560), Lynchburg ($42,940), Roanoke ($46,860), and Winchester ($48,600).

These statistics are from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey, a federal-state cooperative program between BLS and State Workforce Agencies, in this case the District of Columbia Department of Employment Services; the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation; the North Carolina Employment Security Commission; the Virginia Employment Commission; and WorkForce West Virginia. The OES survey provides estimates of employment and hourly and annual wages for wage and salary workers in 22 major occupational groups and about 800 detailed occupations for the nation, states, metropolitan statistical areas, metropolitan divisions, and nonmetropolitan areas.

Technical Note

The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey is a semiannual mail survey measuring occupational employment and wage rates for wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments in the United States. Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands are also surveyed, but their data are not included in the national estimates. OES estimates are constructed from a sample of about 1.2 million establishments. Each year, forms are mailed to two semiannual panels of approximately 200,000 sampled establishments, one panel in May and the other in November. May 2014 estimates are based on responses from six semiannual panels collected over a 3-year period: May 2014, November 2013, May 2013, November 2012, May 2012, and November 2011. The overall national response rate for the six panels is 74.3 percent based on establishments and 70.5 percent based on employment. For more information about OES concepts and methodology, go to www.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.tn.htm.

The OES survey provides estimates of employment and hourly and annual wages for wage and salary workers in 22 major occupational groups and 821 detailed occupations for the nation, states, metropolitan statistical areas, metropolitan divisions, and nonmetropolitan areas. In addition, employment and wage estimates for 94 minor groups and 458 broad occupations are available in the national data. OES data by state and metropolitan/nonmetropolitan area are available from www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcst.htm and www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcma.htm, respectively.

The May 2014 OES estimates are based on the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system and the 2012 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Information about the 2010 SOC is available on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/soc and information about the 2012 NAICS is available at www.bls.gov/bls/naics.htm.

Metropolitan area definitions

The substate area data published in this release reflect the standards and definitions established by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford,Va. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes Giles, Montgomery, and Pulaski Counties and Radford city in Virginia. 

Charlottesville, Va. MSA includes Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, and Nelson Counties and Charlottesville city in Virginia.

Danville, Va. MSA includes Pittsylvania County and Danville city in Virginia.

Harrisonburg, Va. MSA includes Rockingham County and Harrisonburg city in Virginia.

Lynchburg, Va. MSA includes Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, and Campbell Counties and Bedford and Lynchburg cities in Virginia.

Richmond, Va. MSA includes Amelia, Caroline, Charles City, Chesterfield, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, King William, King and Queen, Louisa, New Kent, Powhatan, Prince George, and Sussex Counties and Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Petersburg, and Richmond cities in Virginia.

Roanoke, Va. MSA includes Botetourt, Craig, Franklin, and Roanoke Counties and Roanoke and Salem cities in Virginia.

Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, Va.-N.C. MSA includes Gloucester, Isle of Wight, James City, Mathews, Surry, and York Counties and Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg cities in Virginia and Currituck County in North Carolina.

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Va.-Md.-W.Va. MSA

Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, Md. Metropolitan Division (MD) includes Frederick and Montgomery Counties in Maryland.

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Va.-Md.-W.Va. MD includes the District of Columbia; Arlington, Clarke, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William, Spotsylvania, Stafford, and Warren Counties and     Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Fredericksburg, Manassas, and Manassas Park cities in Virginia; Calvert, Charles, and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland; and Jefferson County in West Virginia.

Winchester, Va.-W.Va. MSA includes Frederick County and Winchester city in Virginia and Hampshire County in West Virginia.

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