 Virginia has the highest defense spending of any state per capita , providing the Commonwealth with around 900 @,@ 000 jobs . 12 % of all U.S. federal procurement money is spent in Virginia , the second @-@ highest amount after California . Many Virginians work for federal agencies in Northern Virginia , which include the Central Intelligence Agency and the Department of Defense , as well as the National Science Foundation , the United States Geological Survey and the United States Patent and Trademark Office . Many others work for government contractors , including defense and security firms , which hold more than 15 @,@ 000 federal contracts . 
