Construction Laborer Salary in Virginia

$21/hr

Read Virginia laborer wage bands alongside national sector figures, then compare duties, paid hours and benefits in job offers.

Change trade or state

What Construction Laborers Earn in Virginia

Virginia construction laborer employee wages span $15.82–$27.46/hr, with annual figures of $32,900–$57,110. These May 2025 figures cover workers across industries, including building, utility and road crews. They exclude premium pay and benefits. When reviewing an offer, ask how much time involves concrete support, excavation or materials handling. Put the hourly range beside expected paid hours, travel arrangements and the employer's written benefit and leave terms before accepting a crew assignment.

Hourly rates by level in Virginia

What each rung of the trade is paid, before overtime and per diem.

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$15.82–$17.80/hr
▲ 8.33% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$17.80–$22.86/hr
▲ 8.33% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$22.86–$27.46/hr
▲ 8.33% from last year

Find Construction Laborer jobs in Virginia.

Browse open jobs

Where do you stand?

Enter your hourly rate to see how it compares to other construction laborers in Virginia.

What are you making?

Type your hourly rate. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere — it stays in your browser.

$/ hr

Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.

You're right around the middle

$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.

10th
$18
25th
$23
Median
$29
75th
$36
90th
$45
YOU · $28.00
Your percentile
46th
Among this market
Your annual · 40 hrs
$58,240
Before overtime and per diem
Gap to median
−$2,080
Below the median

Calculate pay with extra credentials

Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.

1Your level

2Certifications you hold

3Shift & work type

4Overtime & per diem

Weekly overtime hours8 hrs
Per diem (per day away)$0

An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.

American RecruitsEstimate
Journeyman Construction Laborer
Virginia · Day Shift
Base rate$20.33
+ West Virginia Laborers' Training Trust Fund / LIUNA Local 980 Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$0.52
+ OSHA 30-Hour Construction$0.65
+ Forklift / Rough-Terrain Forklift Operator (formal instruction)$0.07
Effective hourly$21.57
Straight · 40 hrs$863
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$259
Weekly gross$1,122
Annualised · 50 weeks
$56,082
8 OT hrs/week · Virginia

Who pays the most in Virginia

These national sector figures cover three settings for Virginia laborer searches. Ask employers how their project duties and schedules shape the offer.

01 / 03$24.08/hr

Highway and Bridge Construction

Road preparation and bridge support put laborers near traffic. For VDOT work, ask whether the assignment includes certified flagging or materials handling during changing construction phases.

+ Infrastructure experience
+ Traffic credentials
– Traffic exposure
– Weather interruptions
02 / 03$24.01/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Commercial building crews coordinate deliveries, concrete support and cleanup. Discuss how Virginia project transfers affect reporting locations, paid travel and weekly hours when another site opens.

+ Building experience
+ Trade exposure
– Delivery congestion
– Project transfers
03 / 03$22.47/hr

Utility System Construction

Pipe and cable projects involve excavation support and backfill. Ask Virginia utility contractors about trench protection, equipment separation and training for assigned tools before joining the excavation crew.

+ Underground skills
+ Civil experience
– Excavation hazards
– Changing ground

Which states pay construction laborers the most

Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.

  1. 01California$28.98/hr
  2. 02Virginiathis page$20.94/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
West Virginia Laborers' Training Trust Fund / LIUNA Local 980 Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$0.52$1,082$00 weeks
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$0.65$1,352$1597 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.22$458$597 weeks
Forklift / Rough-Terrain Forklift Operator (formal instruction)+$0.07$146$5922 weeks
ATSSA Flagger Certification (accepted by VDOT)+$0.11$229$10023 weeks
OSHA Silica in Construction (29 CFR 1926.1153) Training+$0.02$42$3038 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $20.94/hr.

40 hr week
$838
No OT
50 hr week
$1,152
+$15,705/yr
60 hr week
$1,466
+$31,410/yr
70 hr week
$1,780
+$47,115/yr

Questions workers ask

Must a Virginia registered apprenticeship raise my pay?▾
Yes. Virginia Works, which registers apprenticeships under 16VAC35-30, requires each program to set a progressively increasing wage schedule tied to the skills you gain. The entry wage cannot fall below the applicable minimum wage.
When must I get my final paycheck after a layoff?▾
By your next regular payday. Virginia Code § 40.1-29 requires employers to pay all wages due on or before the date you would have been paid had you stayed. The Department of Labor and Industry accepts wage claims.
Does travel between sites count as paid work?▾
Yes. Travel between jobsites during the workday counts as working time under the federal rules Virginia applies to overtime. Ordinary home commuting generally falls outside paid hours. Ask where the paid day starts when a crew first reports to a yard for loading or instructions.

See Open Construction Laborer Jobs in Virginia

Verified positions matching this trade and location.

See Open JobsBuild My Profile — Free

May 2025 BLS Virginia employee wages for Construction Laborers, SOC 47-2061; employee wages, not contractor or staffing-agency billing rates, excluding premium pay and benefits.

Last updated October 29, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.