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Genetic Counselor Salary in Richmond

2026 · Official labour data · 8 comparison cities

$98,714/yr

Last updated: September 2026 · Source: BLS OEWS · modeled estimate, not a published figure for this area

Typical range: $82,290 $118,416

Very High Confidence · 97/100

How much does a Genetic Counselor make in Richmond, VA?

A Genetic Counselor in Richmond earns a median of $98,714/year (about $47/hour). Most earn between $82,290 (25th percentile) and $118,416 (75th percentile); top earners (90th percentile) make $139,542 or more — 1% below the US average. Figures are from BLS employer payroll data, not self-reports.

$69,832
Entry (P10)
$98,714
Median (P50)
$118,416
Top 25% (P75)
$139,542
Top 10% (P90)

Understanding these Genetic Counselor salary numbers

We report percentiles, not a single average, because pay isn't evenly spread — a handful of very high earners would drag an average upward and mislead you. Here's exactly what each figure means.

Median (P50) — $98,714

Half of Genetic Counselors in Richmond earn more than this and half earn less. It's the most honest "typical" salary — better than an average, which gets skewed by a few top earners.

25th percentile (P25) — $82,290

The lower end of the typical range: 75% of Genetic Counselors earn more than this. It's common for early-career roles or lower-cost employers. Earning below it is grounds to negotiate.

75th percentile (P75) — $118,416

Your negotiation target: only 25% of Genetic Counselors earn above it. Reaching P75 usually means seniority, in-demand specialisations, or simply negotiating from data. See how to negotiate.

90th percentile (P90) — $139,542

Top earners: only 10% of Genetic Counselors make this or more — typically senior, highly specialised, or at the best-paying employers.

Gross vs after-tax pay

These figures are gross (before tax). What actually reaches your account depends on your country, state, and deductions. Estimate your net with the take-home calculator.

National vs Richmond pay

City figures apply the local market premium to BLS data, so Richmond differs from the US average by -1%. A higher number isn't always better once cost of living is counted.

Hourly rate — $47/hr

The hourly figure is the annual median divided by 2,080 (40 hours × 52 weeks). If you regularly work more than 40 hours, your real hourly rate is lower than this. Convert any salary with the salary calculator.

Why this differs from Glassdoor or Payscale

Those sites publish what people say they earn (self-reports), which skew high because higher earners report more often. Our figures come from mandatory employer payroll records (BLS OEWS), so they reflect the whole market — not just a vocal subset.

How current and reliable is this number?

This page carries a confidence score of 97/100, based on the data source and coverage. US figures track the latest BLS release and refresh automatically; international figures use OECD/ILO data. See the changelog for live data freshness.

What counts as a "good" Genetic Counselor salary in Richmond?

Around the median ($98,714) is solid and $118,416+ is strong — but "good" really depends on local costs. Check what the number is actually worth with the good-salary breakdown for Richmond.

Still curious how we get these numbers? Every figure is traceable to a primary source — see the full methodology and data sources.

Cite or reuse this data

Genetic Counselor salary in Richmond, VA: median $98,714 (P75 $118,416), per BLS OEWS via Official Salary, 2026.

Free JSON: /api/salary?job=genetic-counselor&city=richmond — no key. API & widgets →

Key insights for Genetic Counselors in Richmond

✓ Reviewed by the Official Salary Data TeamUpdated September 2026Source: BLS OES 2026Confidence: Very HighMethodology
  • After a simplified take-home estimate, $99K nets about $73K/yr — roughly $39K/yr left after typical single-person living costs here.
  • Pay climbs with seniority: a senior/staff Genetic Counselor reaches about $126K — a +28% step from mid-level.
Official Salary Verdict™
Typical Range

Genetic Counselors in Richmond typically earn $82K–$118K a year.

Market Median

The market median is $99K — half earn above, half earn below.

Top Earners

Top earners (top 10%) make $140K or more.

Above Average

Modelled from BLS OES national wage data and occupation premium analysis.

Official government labour statistics (BLS OEWS)Updated monthly via BLS APIHuman-reviewed methodologyConfidence Score: 97/100Editorial policy →

Genetic Counselor Salary Analysis — Richmond

Genetic Counselors in Richmond earn a median salary of $99K, which is 1% below the national median of $100K. Richmond's established technology sector sustains above-average demand for this role, supporting premium compensation.

Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) and employer payroll records. Figures represent the median (P50) across all experience levels in Richmond.

Cost of Living Adjustment

Richmond's cost of living is 2% above the US average. Your $99K salary has the equivalent purchasing power of approximately $97K in a city with average US living costs.

$99K
Nominal salary
+2%
CoL vs US avg
$97K
Real value

Salary Distribution — Richmond

5-band distribution from employer payroll records

P10Entry Level
$69,832

New graduates, 0–1 yr exp

P2525th Percentile
$82,290

1–3 years experience

P50Median
$98,714

3–7 years, typical professional

P7575th Percentile
$118,416

Senior / high-performer — target

P90Top 10%
$139,542

Staff / principal / lead

Genetic Counselor salary chart for Richmond, VA, 2026: median $99K, top 25% earn $118K+, from BLS employer payroll data
Genetic Counselor pay in Richmond — free to share with attributionDownload chart
-1%
vs US avg
+18%
demand growth
Low
AI risk
Data Confidence
97/100A+
BLS.OEWS.2026.v2Updated Sep 3, 2026

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Official Salary Fair Pay Score™

Is $99K a good salary for Genetic Counselor in Richmond?

Benchmarked against the official BLS wage distribution for Genetic Counselors in Richmond

50
$99K sits exactly at the market median

Half of Genetic Counselors in Richmond earn more, half earn less. Enter your own salary in the checker above to see your exact percentile against this distribution.

Bottom 10%: $70K·Median: $99K·Top 10%: $140K
Underpaid← MedianTop earner
Adjusted · 89% confidenceSource reliability: 40/40 (BLS)

Why This Salary?

How we arrived at $99K for Genetic Counselors in Richmond

+3%
Steady demand for Genetic Counselors
Consistent hiring demand keeps wages competitive.
+33%
Occupation skill premium
Genetic Counselors earn well above the national average due to specialized skills required.

Source: BLS OES. All figures reflect 2026 market conditions.

Genetic Counselor Salary by Experience Level in Richmond

How compensation grows from entry-level through staff / lead

Experience LevelYearsPercentileAnnual SalaryMonthlyHourly
Entry00 yrs$69,100$5,758$33
Junior22 yrs$84,894$7,075$41
Mid-LevelTypical44 yrs$94,107$7,842$45
Senior66 yrs$104,242$8,687$50
Staff1010 yrs$126,354$10,530$61
Principal1414 yrs$145,307$12,109$70
Distinguished1818 yrs$150,045$12,504$72

Based on BLS OEWS percentile distribution. Actual salary depends on employer, skills, and negotiation.

Skills That Earn More — Genetic Counselor

Estimated premium above the Richmond median based on market demand

Genetic Analysis+4% ≈ +$4K/yr
Patient Counselling+4% ≈ +$4K/yr
BRCA+4% ≈ +$4K/yr
Bioinformatics+4% ≈ +$4K/yr
Ethics+4% ≈ +$4K/yr

Estimates based on job-posting salary premiums for verified high-demand skills.

Genetic Counselor Intelligence Report

Career metrics and full compensation breakdown — from BLS demand data

Career Opportunity Score

Composite: demand growth × 1.4 + (100 − AI risk) × 0.4

B60/100
High RiskModerateExceptional
Demand Growth+18%/yr
AI Displacement Risk12% — Low
Risk-Adj. Salary Growth+2.3%/yr
Good: Solid career with steady demand. Upskill continuously to stay above automation floor.
$103K
In 2 yrs
$111K
In 5 yrs
$124K
In 10 yrs

Total Compensation — Genetic Counselor

Beyond base salary: bonus, equity, and benefits

Total Comp Range
$126K$135K
per year
Base (76%)Bonus (6%)Equity (2%)Benefits (17%)
Base Salary
Median market rate
$98,714
Annual Bonus
Typical: 3–12% of base
$7,404
Equity (annualised)
~3% of base — RSUs/options
$2,468
Benefits Value
~22% — healthcare, 401k, PTO
$21,717
Total Comp (mid)
$130,303

Bonus, equity, and benefits are modelled estimates from category norms (not scraped from any single employer); base is BLS. Actual total comp varies by employer, level, and negotiation.

Typical Benefits for Genetic Counselors

— show

Often adds 20–35% to your effective pay

Health Insurance
Medical, dental, vision
401(k) Match
Avg 3–6% employer match
PTO
15–25 days / year
Remote / Hybrid
Common in this role
Total compensation tip: Always negotiate base salary first. Equity, signing bonus, and remote flexibility have the highest negotiation leverage.

Compare Genetic Counselor Salaries by City

How Richmond, VA stacks up against other major markets

CityMedianP75vs US avg
Richmond, VA (current)$98,714$118,416+-1%
New York, NY$109,130$133,450++10%
San Francisco, CA$141,022$169,169++42%
Seattle, WA$145,082$174,039++46%
Austin, TX$110,879$133,009++11%
Boston, MA$97,240$107,130+-2%
Chicago, IL$95,880$102,020+-4%
Los Angeles, CA$120,560$144,600++21%
Denver, CO$123,468$148,111++24%

Official Salary Career GPS™

What should I do next as a Genetic Counselor?

O*NET · US Dept of Labor

Higher-paying roles in the same field

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average Genetic Counselor salary in Richmond, VA?

The estimated median Genetic Counselor salary in Richmond, VA is $99K per year (2026). This is a modeled estimate derived from national wage data adjusted for local cost levels, not a published government figure for this area.

What is a good Genetic Counselor salary in Richmond, VA?

The 75th percentile ($118K/yr) is the professional benchmark — what the top quarter already earns. It's a documented, negotiable target backed by BLS payroll data. Anything above the median ($99K) is above-average for this role in Richmond, VA.

How much does a Genetic Counselor earn per hour in Richmond, VA?

Based on the median annual salary of $99K, a Genetic Counselor in Richmond, VA earns approximately $47/hr (2,080-hour work year). The P75 rate is ~$57/hr.

Is Richmond, VA a good market for Genetic Counselors?

Richmond, VA pays 1% below the US national average for this role. BLS projects 18% employment growth for Genetic Counselors over 2022–2032, and AI automation risk is rated low for this occupation.

How do I negotiate a higher Genetic Counselor salary in Richmond, VA?

Cite the BLS P75 figure ($118K) — it is verifiable public data from government payroll records. Request the full compensation package: base + equity/bonus + benefits. Timing matters: negotiate at the offer stage, not after acceptance. Counter with a specific number, not a range.

What is the entry-level Genetic Counselor salary in Richmond, VA?

Entry-level Genetic Counselors in Richmond, VA (10th–25th percentile) earn roughly $70K–$82K per year, rising toward the $99K median with experience and in-demand skills.

What does a senior Genetic Counselor earn in Richmond, VA?

Senior Genetic Counselors in Richmond, VA — the top quartile up to the 90th percentile — earn about $118K–$140K per year, with the top 10% making $140K+.

How Is This Salary Calculated?

Every number is derived from a transparent, reproducible methodology — no estimates, no black boxes.

Where does the salary data come from?

US metro figures are published estimates from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, which covers roughly 1.1 million employer establishments. Where BLS does not publish a figure for an occupation and area, this site shows a modeled estimate and labels it as one.

How is the Richmond figure calculated?

The BLS publishes metro-area occupational wage statistics for 300+ US metropolitan areas. For Richmond, Official Salary uses the BLS metro premium ratio (metro median ÷ national median) and applies it to the national baseline.

What do P10, P25, P50, P75, and P90 mean?

These are salary percentiles from employer payroll records. P50 (median) means 50% of workers earn less. P75 means 75% earn less — this is the recommended negotiation anchor. P10 and P90 represent the bottom 10% and top 10% respectively.

How is take-home pay estimated?

Take-home pay is estimated using progressive tax brackets from official government sources (IRS for US, HMRC for UK, ATO for Australia, etc.). Social contributions (National Insurance, FICA, etc.) are added. These are estimates — actual take-home depends on deductions, filing status, and location.

How often is data updated?

US BLS salary data refreshes every 24 hours via the BLS public API. OECD international wages refresh monthly. ECB currency rates refresh every 4 hours.

Full formulas and source citations on the methodology page.

What a Genetic Counselor salary really means in Richmond

Take-home pay, rent affordability, and remote benchmarking — on the $98,714 median.

Estimated take-home

$77,604/yr

$6,467/month net

Gross median
$98,714
Income tax
$13,558
Social / FICA
$7,552
Effective rate
21%

Federal income tax only (FICA included). State income tax varies. Single-filer estimate — not tax advice.

Rent affordability

19%

of take-home on a typical 1-bed (~$1,201/mo)

The 30% rule says housing should stay under 30% of take-home. Here it's comfortably within that line. After all living costs (~$2,860/mo), roughly $3,607/mo is left to save or invest.

Cost-of-living estimate for Richmond; rent ≈ 42% of budget.

Remote vs onsite

$98,714$99,578

typical fully-remote benchmark range

Onsite Genetic Counselors in Richmond earn the local median of $98,714. Fully-remote roles are usually benchmarked between the US median ($99,578) and the local rate — employers increasingly set remote pay by national or regional bands, not your city.

Compare all Genetic Counselor markets →
✓ Reviewed by the Official Salary Data TeamUpdated September 2026Source: BLS OES 2026Confidence: Very HighMethodology

How to reach the top 25% as a Genetic Counselor in Richmond

The gap between a typical Genetic Counselor and the top quartile in Richmond is $19,702/year — about $1,642/month more than the median. Reaching the 75th percentile ($118,416) usually comes down to seniority, in-demand specialisations, and negotiating from real data instead of hoping for a raise.

Salary trend data not available for this occupation.

Education Premium — Genetic Counselor

How degree level affects salary · ACS Census data

High School / GED
-45%
~$54K
Associate's Degree
-18%
~$81K
Bachelor's DegreeBASELINE
~$99K
Master's Degree
+20%
~$118K
Doctoral (PhD)
+18%
~$116K
Professional (MBA/JD/MD)
+130%
~$227K

Source: US Census Bureau ACS PUMS · BLS OES wage data.

Negotiation Deep-Dive

Get your data-backed negotiation opening ask and walking-away floor.

📊Your exact market percentile based on BLS distribution
🎯P75 target + 10% stretch as your opening ask price
🚪Walking-away floor so you know when to move on
Richmond benchmarks
$99K
Market median
$118K
P75 target
$140K
Top 10%

Negotiation Calculator

Enter your current salary to see your market position and opening ask

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Genetic Counselor in Richmond — Distribution
P10
$70K
P25
$82K
P50
$99K
P75
$118K
P90
$140K
Enter your salary above to see your negotiation position

Data Source & Attribution

This page’s figures are a modeled estimate: a national occupation wage adjusted for local cost levels. BLS does not publish a figure for this occupation and area, so these numbers are not a government measurement and should not be cited as one. International figures draw on OECD Average Wages, Eurostat SES, and ILO ILOSTAT.

BLS.OEWS.2026.v2

Sep 3, 2026

Full methodology →
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