Start with the answer
Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand pay in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
The May 2025 BLS OEWS median for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand is $65,540 per year in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC. It is $48,220 per year in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC is 35.9% above Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV on the published median.
Both rows use SOC 51-9022 and the same annual wage metric. Median means the middle of each area's published wage spread. It is not one worker's pay. The larger median is not proof that one place gives a better job or a better result. It is one wage fact from one source period.
BLS lists 130 wage and salary jobs in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC and 80 in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. Those are survey job counts, not open posts. Read pay, job scale, local share, and price level as separate facts before you make a choice.