Women in Virginia: Pay, Representation, and Firsts
Everything the data says about women in Virginia — pay, legislature representation, historical firsts, and how the state ranks against the rest of the US.
Where Virginia sits
Women in Virginia earn 83.6 cents for every dollar men earn — a gap of 16.4%. That puts Virginia #19 out of the 51 US jurisdictions on pay equity. The women-in-legislature figure of 31.4% ranks Virginia #24 nationally.
Notable firsts & figures
Never elected a woman governor or US Senator. L. Douglas Wilder (1990-94) was the first elected Black governor in the US; no woman has won the office.
- No woman US Senator yet elected from Virginia.
- No woman yet elected governor of Virginia.
- Largest city: Virginia Beach
Professions in Virginia
State-adjusted pay and gap figures for women in 20 common professions in Virginia. Each page combines national BLS medians with Virginia’s Census ACS wage environment.
Fields in Virginia
Related national data
Frequently asked
What is the gender pay gap in Virginia?
Women in Virginia earn 83.6% of what men earn — a gap of 16.4%. Census ACS S2001 data.
How many women are in Virginia’s state legislature?
31.4% of Virginia state legislators are women — rank #24 nationally among 51 US jurisdictions (CAWP 2024).
Has Virginia elected a woman governor?
No — Virginia has never elected a woman governor.
Has Virginia elected a woman US Senator?
No — Virginia has never elected a woman US Senator.
How many women does Virginia send to Congress?
3 women from Virginia serve in the 119th US Congress (House + Senate, 2025-27).