Framer Salary in Virginia

$27/hr

Compare Virginia carpenter employee wages with framing responsibilities, crew schedules and the personal costs attached to each framing job offer.

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What Framers Earn in Virginia

Virginia carpenter wages span $18.38–$35.70/hr, with framing included in that broader occupation. These employee figures exclude premium pay and benefits. When comparing a framing offer, connect the rate to floor layout, wall assembly, roof work and crew responsibility. Ask how many hours are scheduled and how weather interruptions affect the working week. Contract prices cover separate business expenses. Separate those quotations from wage offers when discussing your experience with employers.

Hourly rates by level in Virginia

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

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$18.38–$22.34/hr
▲ 10.85% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$22.34–$29.49/hr
▲ 10.85% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$29.49–$35.70/hr
▲ 10.85% from last year

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$/ 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 Framer
Virginia · Day Shift
Base rate$25.92
+ EAS Carpenters Technical Centers Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$4.43
+ OSHA 30-Hour Construction$0.92
+ Supported Scaffold User$0.12
Effective hourly$31.38
Straight · 40 hrs$1,255
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$377
Weekly gross$1,632
Annualised · 50 weeks
$81,601
8 OT hrs/week · Virginia

Who pays the most in Virginia

These national carpenter figures cover three settings relevant to framing applicants. Discuss the building systems and crew duties behind each employment offer before accepting.

01 / 03$30.66/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Commercial building crews coordinate framing with larger construction schedules. Ask which structural systems you will assemble and how site moves work. Discuss who sets out openings and handles changes to the approved framing details.

+ Larger packages
+ Crew coordination
– Schedule pressure
– Site travel
02 / 03$29.13/hr

Residential Building Construction

House framing moves from floor platforms to walls and roofs. Discuss delivery timing, weather arrangements and who handles corrections after inspections. Ask whether you stay with one crew through successive houses or move between packages.

+ Housebuilding skills
+ Visible progress
– Weather exposure
– Delivery delays
03 / 03$28.27/hr

Structural and Exterior Contractors

Specialist subcontractors handle building frames and shells. Ask whether your package includes sheathing and how the crew hands work to following trades. Clarify whether you are joining an employee crew or pricing a subcontract with its own overheads.

+ Framing focus
+ Defined packages
– Sequence changes
– Repeated mobilization

Which states pay framers 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$36.50/hr
  2. 02Virginiathis page$26.77/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
EAS Carpenters Technical Centers Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$4.43$9,214$00 weeks
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$0.92$1,914$1595 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.31$645$595 weeks
Supported Scaffold User+$0.12$250$358 weeks
Fall Protection Competent Person+$0.25$520$14915 weeks
Aerial/Scissor Lift (MEWP) Operator+$0.08$166$5919 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $26.77/hr.

40 hr week
$1,071
No OT
50 hr week
$1,472
+$20,077/yr
60 hr week
$1,874
+$40,155/yr
70 hr week
$2,275
+$60,232/yr

Questions workers ask

Must I buy my own fall harness for framing work?▾
No. VOSH adopts the federal construction rule requiring employers to pay for required protective equipment, including personal fall arrest systems. Hand tools are a separate matter, so ask which ones the crew expects you to bring.
Can my employer deduct lost tools from my framing pay?▾
No. Virginia's wage payment law bars withholding any part of your wages, other than taxes or deductions required by law, without your written and signed authorization. DOLI accepts complaints about unauthorized deductions. Read any tool agreement before signing it.
Can my framing experience earn a higher apprenticeship wage step?▾
Yes. Virginia Works rules require apprenticeship standards to allow advanced standing for demonstrated competency or acquired experience, with commensurate wages for any step granted. Bring proof of your framing work when applying to a carpentry program.

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Current BLS Virginia employee wages for Carpenters, SOC 47-2031; carpenters broadly, including framers, excluding premium pay and benefits.

Last updated October 27, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.