Naval Station Norfolk is the largest naval base in the world, and the Hampton Roads region around it is one of the most military-dense areas in the country. Between Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Newport News, and Hampton, you have Navy, Air Force, Army, and Coast Guard installations all feeding into the same local job market. When I separated from the Navy, I understood firsthand how crowded this market gets. Every sailor leaving Norfolk is competing against other sailors, plus veterans from the other bases in the area, all applying to the same defense contractors and shipyards.

The good news is that Hampton Roads has a defense economy that genuinely needs experienced military professionals. Shipbuilding, ship repair, defense contracting, and cybersecurity are huge here. The challenge is standing out when every other applicant has a similar background. This guide covers the Norfolk-area job market, the employers worth targeting, how to make your Navy experience translate, and whether staying in Hampton Roads makes financial sense for your career.

What Does the Hampton Roads Job Market Look Like for Navy Veterans?

Hampton Roads is a defense town on steroids. Naval Station Norfolk, Naval Air Station Oceana, Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, and Newport News Shipbuilding all operate within a 30-mile radius. The concentration of military installations means the local economy is deeply tied to defense spending, which is both a strength and a vulnerability.

The strength: there are always jobs for veterans with the right qualifications. Defense contractors need cleared professionals constantly. The shipyards hire skilled trades workers year-round. Healthcare systems across the region (Sentara, Riverside Health, the VA) employ thousands. And the growing cybersecurity corridor in Virginia Beach has created tech opportunities that did not exist a decade ago.

The vulnerability: when defense budgets tighten or sequestration hits, Hampton Roads feels it immediately. Diversification into cybersecurity and tech has helped, but defense remains the economic backbone. If you want career stability independent of Pentagon budget cycles, keep that in mind when choosing your industry.

The DC metro area is about three hours north via I-64 and I-95. That is a long commute, but some Norfolk veterans find higher salaries and more diverse industries in Northern Virginia, especially in the Tysons Corner-Reston-Herndon tech corridor. Remote work has also expanded options significantly. A veteran living in Virginia Beach can now work for a DC-area company without relocating, if the role allows it.

Which Employers in Hampton Roads Hire the Most Veterans?

The employer landscape in Hampton Roads is dominated by defense, but there are strong options outside of it as well. Here is where to focus depending on your background and goals.

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) at Newport News Shipbuilding is the single largest industrial employer in Virginia. They build aircraft carriers and submarines, and they hire veterans aggressively for everything from welding and pipefitting to engineering and program management. If you had any hands-on technical rate in the Navy (MM, EM, HT, EN, GSM), Newport News Shipbuilding should be on your target list.

The cybersecurity angle is worth pursuing if you have IT or intelligence experience. Virginia Beach has positioned itself as a cybersecurity hub, and the combination of cleared professionals leaving Norfolk plus proximity to government networks has attracted companies specifically looking for veterans with active clearances and technical backgrounds.

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How Does Norfolk TAP Compare to What You Actually Need?

Naval Station Norfolk runs TAP classes continuously given the volume of sailors separating. The Transition GPS program covers the mandatory curriculum: resume basics, interview preparation, VA benefits, and financial planning. Norfolk also connects sailors with Fleet and Family Support Center resources and sometimes brings in local employers for hiring events.

The gap is the same as every other installation: TAP produces generic resumes. In Hampton Roads, that is a bigger problem than usual because you are competing against thousands of other Navy veterans with similar ratings and experience. An ET2 resume that lists standard electronics technician duties looks exactly like every other ET2 resume that comes through. The sailors who get hired are the ones who customize their resume for each application with specific accomplishments and quantified results.

Norfolk does have supplemental resources worth using. The Hampton Roads Workforce Council runs veteran-specific programs, and organizations like Hire Heroes USA and the Virginia Values Veterans (V3) program connect separating service members with local employers. Use TAP as your starting point, then layer on these additional resources and invest in a properly tailored resume. BMR's resume builder was built specifically for this, matching your Navy experience to the civilian job postings you are actually applying to so each application is targeted and specific.

How Should Navy Veterans Translate Their Rating for Hampton Roads Employers?

Your Navy rating is your biggest asset and your biggest resume challenge simultaneously. Employers in Hampton Roads know the Navy exists, but most hiring managers (even at defense contractors) do not know what an FC, OS, or IT rating actually means in civilian terms. You need to bridge that gap.

Engineering and Technical Ratings (MM, EM, EN, HT, GSM, GSE)

You have hands-on technical experience that directly translates to shipyard, power plant, and industrial maintenance positions. Newport News Shipbuilding, BAE Systems Ship Repair, and the Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth all hire veterans with these ratings. Emphasize your specific systems experience, maintenance certifications, and any quality assurance or safety qualifications. Get your civilian certifications lined up: journeyman electrical, marine engineer licensing, or OSHA qualifications depending on your target role.

IT, Intelligence, and Cyber Ratings (IT, CTN, CTR, CTT, IS)

The cybersecurity corridor in Virginia Beach and the broader Hampton Roads defense industry are actively recruiting veterans with these backgrounds. Your active clearance combined with hands-on experience in network operations, signals intelligence, or information assurance makes you immediately competitive. Pair your military experience with CompTIA Security+, CISSP, or CEH certifications to maximize your marketability.

Operations and Combat Systems Ratings (OS, FC, STG, GM)

Operations Specialists, Fire Controlmen, Sonar Technicians, and Gunner's Mates have experience with complex integrated systems monitoring, real-time data analysis, and split-second decision-making in high-stakes environments. These translate to civilian roles in air traffic management, operations centers, data analytics, and systems engineering. Defense contractors like Lockheed Martin and Raytheon specifically look for veterans who understand weapons systems and combat management systems architectures.

No matter your rating, BMR''s career crosswalk tool maps your specific Navy rating to civilian job titles and salary ranges in the Hampton Roads area. Use it before you start writing your resume so you know which keywords and qualifications to emphasize.

Should You Stay in Hampton Roads or Head to Northern Virginia?

This is the question every Norfolk veteran wrestles with. Hampton Roads is affordable compared to Northern Virginia, and if you have family ties or a VA loan on a house here, the financial math might favor staying. Defense jobs are abundant locally, and the quality of life in Virginia Beach and the Outer Banks area is hard to beat.

Northern Virginia (NoVA) offers higher salaries, more industry diversity, and proximity to federal agencies and their headquarters. But the cost of living is significantly higher. A $95K defense contractor salary in Norfolk gives you a comfortable life. That same salary in Tysons Corner or Arlington means a smaller apartment and a longer commute. Run the numbers before deciding.

Remote work has changed the calculation. If you can land a NoVA salary while living in Hampton Roads, that is the best of both worlds. Many defense contractors now offer hybrid arrangements, and cybersecurity roles increasingly support remote work. Build your LinkedIn presence and network with recruiters in both markets to maximize your options.

Related: 10 military to civilian job search strategies that actually work and best job boards for veterans in 2026.