Plumber Salary in Virginia

$29/hr

Compare Virginia employee wage bands with plumbing duties, paid hours, license responsibilities and the full terms of an offer.

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What Plumbers Earn in Virginia

Virginia employee wages span $21.14–$37.52/hr, with published annual earnings of $43,970–$78,050 a year. The BLS occupation combines plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters. These figures exclude premium pay and benefits. For a plumbing offer, connect the range to installation or repair duties, paid travel and emergency coverage. Ask how the employer records each part of the working day and explains deductions on your earnings statement.

Hourly rates by level in Virginia

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

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$21.14–$23.72/hr
▲ 1.5% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$23.72–$34.51/hr
▲ 1.5% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$34.51–$37.52/hr
▲ 1.5% 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 Plumber
Virginia · Day Shift
Base rate$29.12
+ UA Local 10 Plumbers & Steamfitters Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$3.60
+ Virginia DPOR Journeyman Plumber License$8.92
+ OSHA 30-Hour Construction$1.11
Effective hourly$42.75
Straight · 40 hrs$1,710
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$513
Weekly gross$2,223
Annualised · 50 weeks
$111,137
8 OT hrs/week · Virginia

Who pays the most in Virginia

These national sector figures help frame Virginia plumbing offers. Ask about the employer's actual pipework, project schedule and paid travel arrangements within each setting.

01 / 03$34.24/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Commercial building crews coordinate plumbing rough-in, testing and fixture installation with other trades. Discuss how shutdown windows and inspection schedules affect paid hours. Ask who handles test records and whether crews return for final fixture commissioning.

+ Coordinated projects
+ Larger systems
– Inspection delays
– Schedule pressure
02 / 03$30.34/hr

Building Equipment Contractors

Specialist contractors install and service building plumbing systems. Ask whether the vacancy involves planned installations, customer repairs or a rotating emergency schedule. Compare the paid time allowed for diagnosis, parts collection and documenting completed repairs.

+ Plumbing focus
+ Repair variety
– Customer interruptions
– Callout demands
03 / 03$29.52/hr

Utility System Construction

Water and sewer construction puts pipework alongside excavation and restoration. Discuss travel, outdoor conditions and the boundary between utility installation and building plumbing. Ask which pipe materials and testing methods the crew uses on its assigned contracts.

+ Infrastructure work
+ Defined routes
– Weather exposure
– Site travel

Which states pay plumbers 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$35.01/hr
  2. 02Virginiathis page$29.07/hr
  3. 03Texas$27.71/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
UA Local 10 Plumbers & Steamfitters Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$3.60$7,488$00 weeks
Virginia DPOR Journeyman Plumber License+$8.92$18,554$2721 week
Virginia DPOR Master Plumber License+$5.35$11,128$2972 weeks
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$1.11$2,309$1594 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.37$770$594 weeks
Permit-Required Confined Space Entrant/Attendant (8-hr)+$0.30$624$15914 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $29.07/hr.

40 hr week
$1,163
No OT
50 hr week
$1,599
+$21,802/yr
60 hr week
$2,035
+$43,605/yr
70 hr week
$2,471
+$65,407/yr

Questions workers ask

Can I take paid plumbing jobs on the side?▾
Yes, if you are licensed. DPOR's Board for Contractors requires a contractor license for plumbing jobs over $1,000, and that license requires a master plumber. Otherwise, you may do plumbing only under a licensed plumbing tradesman's supervision.
Does a salary remove a plumber's overtime rights?▾
No. Manual plumbing work stays subject to overtime, and covered nonexempt employees earn time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek. Get the wage and overtime terms in writing. Virginia DOLI takes unpaid wage and overtime complaints.
Can DPOR backflow certification open more testing work?▾
Yes. Under Va. Code § 54.1-1129, every Virginia locality must accept DPOR's backflow prevention device worker certification as proof of experience and training without another exam. Certification is voluntary, so check what each local water program requires before you take testing work.

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Current BLS Virginia employee wages for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, SOC 47-2152; BLS combines plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters. Employee wages exclude premium pay and benefits.

Last updated October 26, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.