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2026 Salary Data — Virginia Beach, VA
Updated April 28, 2026

Site Reliability Engineer Salary in Virginia Beach: $152K Median

Site Reliability Engineers in Virginia Beach, VA earn between $99K and $251K per year.

That's -2% below the US national median of $155,000 for this role.

Quick Answer

As of April 2026, the median Site Reliability Engineer salary in Virginia Beach, VA is $151,900 per year — -2% below the US national median of $155,000. Salaries range from $98,735 (entry, 25th percentile) to $250,635 (90th percentile). Site Reliability Engineers in Virginia Beach earned approximately $24,500 in 2025, representing 520.0% year-over-year growth.

Median
$151,900
+520.0% YoY · $12,658/mo
Entry
$118,482
0–2 years
Experienced
$200,508
5+ years
Top 10%
$250,635
Senior/lead
Site Reliability Engineer Salary — Virginia Beach vs Nearby
Virginia Beach
$152K
Charlotte
$158K
-4% vs Virginia Beach
Fort Worth
$158K
-4% vs Virginia Beach
Mesa
$152K
+0% vs Virginia Beach

Free ATS scan · Virginia Beach employers · Results in 60 seconds

About Site Reliability Engineers in Virginia Beach

Site reliability engineers (SREs) apply software engineering principles to operations problems. They build resilient infrastructure, manage SLOs, and automate toil to keep production systems reliable at scale.

Core Responsibilities

  • Define and track SLOs/SLIs/error budgets
  • Build observability and alerting systems
  • Lead incident response and postmortems
  • Automate infrastructure with Terraform
  • Manage Kubernetes and cloud platforms

Education & Certifications

Typical path: Bachelor's degree (or equivalent experience in systems engineering)

In-demand certifications

Google SRE CertificationAWS DevOps ProfessionalKubernetes (CKA/CKS)Terraform Associate

Virginia Beach Job Market

Military and tourism hub with strong defense industry.

Population
459K
Cost of Living
100
vs 100 US avg
Unemployment
3.8%
Median Home
$360K

Top Industries in Virginia Beach

Military/NavalTourismDefenseHealthcare

Top Employers Hiring Site Reliability Engineers

Major employers active in Virginia Beach or hiring remotely from this metro.

Google
Netflix
Stripe
Datadog
Uber
Airbnb
Cloudflare
LinkedIn

All major employers use ATS software.

Workday, Greenhouse, Taleo, and iCIMS auto-screen 75% of resumes before a human ever sees them. Scan your resume free to see your match rate.

2026 Hot Skills & Resume Keywords

Skills that command salary premiums and pass ATS keyword filters.

Hottest 2026 Skills

These appear in the highest-paying Site Reliability Engineer listings.

KubernetesTerraformobservability (Datadog, Honeycomb)eBPFchaos engineeringGoGitOps

ATS Resume Keywords

Include these naturally throughout your resume.

KubernetesTerraformobservabilityPrometheusGrafanaSLO/SLIincident responseAWSGoLinux
Career Outlook
+22% Growth Projected (2024-2034)

SRE demand projected to grow 22% through 2034. Critical role at any company running production systems at scale.

Site Reliability Engineer Salary Breakdown — Virginia Beach

PeriodEntry (25th)Median (50th)Top (90th)
Annual$98,735$151,900$250,635
Monthly$8,228$12,658$20,886
Weekly$1,899$2,921$4,820
Hourly$47$73$120

Based on 2080 working hours/year. Local figures derived from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national median ($155,000) adjusted for Virginia Beach's cost-of-living multiplier (0.98×, sourced from BEA Regional Price Parities).

Site Reliability Engineer Take-Home Pay in Virginia Beach

After federal, state and FICA taxes — single filer, standard deduction.

Net Annual Take-Home
$106,885.65
Per month$8,907
Biweekly paycheck$4,111
Effective tax rate29.6%

Tax Breakdown on $151,900

Gross salary$151,900
Federal income tax−$25,799
Virginia state tax−$7,595
FICA (Social Security + Medicare)−$11,620.35
Take-home (net)$106,885.65

Estimates assume single filer, standard deduction ($14,600 for 2026), no 401(k)/HSA/dependents. Actual take-home varies with deductions, dependents, and benefits elections. Not tax advice.

Site Reliability Engineer Salary by Experience — Virginia Beach

Career-stage progression for Site Reliability Engineers in Virginia Beach.

ExperienceAnnual Salary
0–1 yr$109,003
2–3 yr$118,482
4–6 yr$159,495
7–10 yr$200,508
11–15 yr$236,599
15+ yr$225,572

Curve derived from BLS percentile data adjusted for Virginia Beach's 0.98× cost-of-living multiplier. Highlighted row = 7–10 year experienced level.

Year-Over-Year Trend

+520.0% vs 2025

2025 median:$24,500
2026 median:$151,900
Change:+$127,400

Technology sector growth driven by demand for Kubernetes and Terraform.

Is This A Good Salary?

Excellent

Adjusted for local cost of living, this salary delivers top-tier real purchasing power - well above what the same nominal pay would buy in most US metros. Strong savings, home-buying, and discretionary spending are all realistic.

COL-Adjusted Purchasing Power
$151,900
Solidly middle-class on the median - manageable, but disciplined budgeting is needed to save aggressively or buy a home.

How to Negotiate Your Site Reliability Engineer Salary in Virginia Beach

Walk-away anchor: $132,087 (offers below this are below market for Virginia Beach).

Leverage Points

  • Reference levels.fyi total compensation data for your level (L4/L5/etc.) at comparable companies
  • Quantify recent shipped impact: latency reduced, revenue driven, on-call incidents resolved
  • Hold a competing offer (or credible interview pipeline) before the salary conversation
  • Highlight in-demand skill premiums: LLMs, Kubernetes, Rust, distributed systems

Beyond Base Salary, Negotiate

Sign-on bonus ($25K-$100K is standard at Big Tech)RSU refreshers and accelerated vesting cliffsRemote/hybrid flexibility and home-office stipendAnnual learning budget and conference allowanceSabbatical eligibility after 4-5 years

What To Say

"Based on levels.fyi data and what I'm seeing from comparable offers, total compensation for this level is closer to $X base plus equity. Can we close the gap on base or front-load the RSU grant?"

Anchor on $201K–$251K for experienced roles, citing Virginia Beach market data and your specific Kubernetes/Terraform expertise.

Site Reliability Engineer Salary FAQ — Virginia Beach

What is the average Site Reliability Engineer salary in Virginia Beach, VA?
The average Site Reliability Engineer salary in Virginia Beach is $151,900 per year as of April 2026 — $12,658/month, $2,921/week, or about $73/hour. Salaries range from $98,735 (entry, 25th percentile) up to $250,635 (experienced, 90th percentile). Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics adjusted for Virginia Beach's cost-of-living multiplier (0.98×).
Is $151,900 a good Site Reliability Engineer salary in Virginia Beach?
Excellent. Adjusted for local cost of living, this salary delivers top-tier real purchasing power - well above what the same nominal pay would buy in most US metros. Strong savings, home-buying, and discretionary spending are all realistic. Virginia Beach's cost-of-living index is 100 (vs 100 nationally), giving $151,900 a real purchasing power of approximately $151,900 in national terms. Solidly middle-class on the median - manageable, but disciplined budgeting is needed to save aggressively or buy a home.
Can you live on $151,900 in Virginia Beach?
Dual-income households support a comfortable family lifestyle. Single-earner families on the median may need to compromise on neighborhood, square footage, or college savings. Aim for 28-30% of pre-tax income on rent. The classic 30% rule still works here, though housing costs are creeping up faster than wages. For Virginia Beach specifically (median home price $360,000), a $151,900 salary supports a comfortable lifestyle.
Is $151,900 enough for a single person in Virginia Beach?
A single adult in Virginia Beach typically needs ~$45,000 for a comfortable lifestyle (housing, food, transport, healthcare, modest savings). A $151,900 salary is well above that threshold — a single person can live comfortably with significant savings room.
Is $151,900 enough for a couple in Virginia Beach?
A couple (one earner) in Virginia Beach typically needs ~$72,000 for a comfortable lifestyle. A $151,900 salary as the sole household income is sufficient — enabling moderate housing, savings, and discretionary spending. Two earners at $151,900 each ($303,800 household) provides solid middle-class comfort.
Is $151,900 enough for a family of 4 in Virginia Beach?
A family of 4 (one earner) in Virginia Beach typically needs ~$110,000 for a comfortable middle-class lifestyle (housing for 4, childcare/school, food, healthcare, transport, savings). A $151,900 salary as the sole household income is sufficient — a family of 4 can afford this metro on a single Site Reliability Engineer income with prudent budgeting. Childcare costs in Virginia Beach typically run $15K-$28K per child per year.
What is the take-home pay for a Site Reliability Engineer in Virginia Beach?
On a $151,900 Site Reliability Engineer salary in Virginia Beach, VA, you take home approximately $106,885.65 per year ($8,907/month, $4,111 per biweekly paycheck) after taxes. Breakdown: federal $25,799, state $7,595, FICA $11,620.35. Effective tax rate: 29.6%. (Single filer, standard deduction, no other adjustments.)
How much do Site Reliability Engineers in Virginia Beach earn compared to the US average?
Site Reliability Engineers in Virginia Beach earn approximately 2% less than the US national median for this role ($155,000 nationally vs $151,900 in Virginia Beach). However, Virginia Beach's cost-of-living index of 100 means real purchasing power is approximately $151,900 when adjusted for local prices.
What does an entry-level Site Reliability Engineer earn in Virginia Beach?
Entry-level Site Reliability Engineers in Virginia Beach typically start at around $118,482 (0–2 years experience). With 5+ years, Site Reliability Engineers earn $200,508 or more. Top earners (90th percentile) reach $250,635+, typically at senior or lead levels with specialized skills.
Did Site Reliability Engineer salaries in Virginia Beach increase in 2026?
Yes — Site Reliability Engineer salaries in Virginia Beach grew approximately 520.0% year-over-year, from $24,500 in 2025 to $151,900 in 2026 (+$127,400). This reflects the broader Technology sector's compensation trend, driven by Kubernetes and Terraform demand.
What's the job outlook for Site Reliability Engineers in Virginia Beach?
SRE demand projected to grow 22% through 2034. Critical role at any company running production systems at scale. Virginia Beach's top industries include Military/Naval, Tourism, Defense, and the metro's current unemployment rate is 3.8% — a tight labor market favoring candidates.
What skills are most in demand for Site Reliability Engineers in 2026?
The hottest 2026 skills for Site Reliability Engineers are: Kubernetes, Terraform, observability (Datadog, Honeycomb), eBPF, chaos engineering, Go, GitOps. ATS systems specifically scan for these keywords. Adding them to your resume — naturally and in context — significantly improves your match rate with employers in Virginia Beach.
Who are the top employers hiring Site Reliability Engineers in Virginia Beach?
Top employers hiring Site Reliability Engineers in or near Virginia Beach include: Google, Netflix, Stripe, Datadog, Uber, Airbnb. Most use ATS software (Workday, Greenhouse, Taleo, iCIMS) to screen resumes — meaning your resume must be ATS-optimized to even get a human reader.
How do I negotiate a higher Site Reliability Engineer salary in Virginia Beach?
Based on levels.fyi data and what I'm seeing from comparable offers, total compensation for this level is closer to $X base plus equity. Can we close the gap on base or front-load the RSU grant? Key leverage points for Technology negotiations: Reference levels.fyi total compensation data for your level (L4/L5/etc.) at comparable companies; Quantify recent shipped impact: latency reduced, revenue driven, on-call incidents resolved; Hold a competing offer (or credible interview pipeline) before the salary conversation. Beyond base salary, negotiate for: Sign-on bonus ($25K-$100K is standard at Big Tech), RSU refreshers and accelerated vesting cliffs, Remote/hybrid flexibility and home-office stipend, Annual learning budget and conference allowance.
How can I increase my Site Reliability Engineer salary in Virginia Beach?
Three highest-leverage moves: (1) Add 2026's hot skills (Kubernetes, Terraform, observability (Datadog, Honeycomb)) — they command 15-30% premiums. (2) Get a recognized certification (e.g., Google SRE Certification or AWS DevOps Professional). (3) Tailor your resume to each role's keywords — CVCraft's ATS scanner shows you exactly what's missing.
What education do I need to become a Site Reliability Engineer in Virginia Beach?
Bachelor's degree (or equivalent experience in systems engineering) is the typical path. However, Virginia Beach's competitive market increasingly values demonstrable skills, portfolios, and certifications alongside (or in place of) traditional degrees — particularly for Technology roles.

Methodology & Sources

Site Reliability Engineer salary figures for Virginia Beach are computed by adjusting the BLS national median ($155,000) by Virginia Beach's cost-of-living multiplier of 0.98× — a composite of regional wage data and price parities. Year-over-year change (520.0%) reflects the Technology sector's 2025-2026 wage growth per BLS Employment Cost Index trends. Last reviewed April 28, 2026.

Data Sources

Related Roles in Virginia Beach

DevOps Engineer →Cloud Engineer →Software Engineer →Data Scientist →Product Manager →Web Developer →

Site Reliability Engineer Salary in Other Cities

Phoenix, AZ$155KSan Antonio, TX$144KFort Worth, TX$158KColumbus, OH$150KCharlotte, NC$158KIndianapolis, IN$144KDetroit, MI$144KNashville, TN$155K

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