Signal Person Salary in Virginia

$21/hr

Virginia construction-laborer wages help you assess signaling offers by duties, paid time, crew responsibilities and the benefits included.

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What Signal Persons Earn in Virginia

Virginia construction-laborer employee wages span $15.82–$27.46/hr, or $32,900–$57,110 a year. This broader benchmark covers workers assigned signaling among other construction duties. It does not isolate crane signal persons or measure a certification premium. For any offer, ask which signals, equipment and additional duties the employer expects. Compare paid hours and benefits alongside the rate. Request a written description separating crane communication from rigging and other construction tasks.

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

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Where do you stand?

Enter your hourly rate to see how it compares to other signal persons in Virginia.

What are you making?

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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 Signal Person
Virginia · Day Shift
Base rate$20.33
+ IUOE Local 77 Operating Engineer Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$3.14
+ OSHA 30-Hour Construction$0.65
+ American Red Cross Adult First Aid/CPR/AED$0.08
Effective hourly$24.20
Straight · 40 hrs$968
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$290
Weekly gross$1,258
Annualised · 50 weeks
$62,920
8 OT hrs/week · Virginia

Who pays the most in Virginia

These national construction-laborer figures describe three industries relevant to Virginia lift crews. Ask employers how much of each opening involves signaling.

01 / 03$24.08/hr

Highway and Bridge Construction

Road and bridge projects place crane communication alongside moving equipment. Discuss access arrangements and transfers between work areas with Virginia employers. Ask where your paid shift starts and who supplies the communication equipment.

+ Infrastructure work
+ Equipment coordination
– Traffic exposure
– Changing locations
02 / 03$24.01/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Commercial building crews coordinate deliveries and load placement. Ask Virginia contractors whether signaling assignments continue between lifts or include general laboring. A mixed assignment calls for clear expectations about supervision and paid assessment time.

+ Building projects
+ Crew continuity
– Delivery pressure
– Shared access
03 / 03$22.79/hr

Other Specialty Trade Contractors

Site preparation and other specialist work bring different crane support needs. Discuss travel and assignment length when approaching Virginia specialty contractors. Identify the equipment involved and the signals used before discussing your assessment record.

+ Varied assignments
+ Site experience
– Travel demands
– Uneven schedules

Which states pay signal persons 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
IUOE Local 77 Operating Engineer Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$3.14$6,531$00 weeks
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$0.65$1,352$1597 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.22$458$597 weeks
American Red Cross Adult First Aid/CPR/AED+$0.08$166$10232 weeks
NCCCO Signalperson+$0.17$354$22534 weeks
NCCCO Rigger Level I+$0.52$1,082$1,75085 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

Can my pay be cut for reporting an unsafe lift?▾
No. Va. Code § 40.1-51.2:1 bars discharging or discriminating against employees who file safety complaints or exercise safety rights. You may file a complaint with Virginia DOLI within 60 days, and remedies can include reinstatement with back pay.
Where can I see prevailing wage rates on a state-funded lift job?▾
On the jobsite. Va. Code § 2.2-4321.3 requires contractors on covered public contracts to post the prevailing wage rates set by Virginia's Commissioner of Labor and Industry in prominent places. It covers state agency contracts over $250,000 and local projects under an ordinance.
How much of my pay does workers' comp replace after a lift injury?▾
Two-thirds of your average weekly wage, within state minimums and maximums. Va. Code § 65.2-500 sets that rate for temporary total disability, and the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission decides disputed claims.

See Open Signal Person Jobs in Virginia

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Current BLS Virginia employee wages for Construction Laborers, SOC 47-2061; a broader benchmark for workers assigned signaling, excluding premium pay and benefits.

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