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Salary Guides / Virginia
Plumber Helper Salary in Virginia
Understand Virginia helper wages, compare plumbing work settings and weigh paid hours alongside training and supervision arrangements.
What Plumber Helpers Earn in Virginia
Virginia employee wages span $14.84–$23.83/hr, with annual figures of $30,860–$49,570 a year. These figures combine plumber helpers with pipelayer, pipefitter and steamfitter helpers. They exclude premium pay and benefits. The experience bands below organize helper wages. Their names do not confer a Virginia plumbing license or set registered-apprentice pay schedules. Ask which helper duties and supervision arrangements accompany the wage, including service travel and material preparation.
Hourly rates by level in Virginia
What each rung of the trade is paid, before overtime and per diem.
Where do you stand?
Enter your hourly rate to see how it compares to other plumber helpers in Virginia.
What are you making?
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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.
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
An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.
Who pays the most in Virginia
These national pipe-trade helper benchmarks distinguish specialist contractors, commercial builders and utility firms when assessing plumbing-support vacancies in Virginia. Match each vacancy to its actual work.
Building Equipment Contractors
Plumbing and mechanical contractors handle building systems. For Virginia service vacancies, ask how loading, cleanup and movement between calls are paid. Ask whether shifts start at the shop or first job.
Nonresidential Building Construction
Commercial building crews coordinate plumbing support with other trades. Discuss who supervises your work and how material deliveries fit construction schedules. Identify pipe materials handled and who directs preparation for each installation stage.
Utility System Construction
Water and sewer projects involve underground systems. Ask whether the Virginia vacancy supports building plumbing, utility pipe crews or both assignments. Discuss trench work and ask which protective arrangements and instruction cover your assigned duties.
Which states pay plumber helpers 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.
What each certification is worth
Sorted by payback speed.
| Certification | Rate bump | Extra / year | Cost | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UA Local 10 Plumbers & Steamfitters Apprenticeship (journeyperson) | +$3.60 | $7,488 | $0 | 0 weeks |
| Virginia DPOR Residential Plumber Tradesman License | +$1.39 | $2,891 | $272 | 5 weeks |
| OSHA 30-Hour Construction | +$0.26 | $541 | $159 | 16 weeks |
| OSHA 10-Hour Construction | +$0.09 | $187 | $59 | 17 weeks |
| Permit-Required Confined Space Entrant/Attendant (8-hr) | +$0.07 | $146 | $159 | 57 weeks |
| American Red Cross Adult First Aid/CPR/AED | +$0.03 | $62 | $102 | 85 weeks |
What overtime actually adds
Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $18.36/hr.
Questions workers ask
Does a registered plumbing apprenticeship guarantee raises?▾
Must I buy my own safety glasses and gloves?▾
Where can I report a wage or overtime dispute in Virginia?▾
See Open Plumber Helper Jobs in Virginia
Verified positions matching this trade and location.
Current BLS Virginia employee wages for Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, SOC 47-3015; combined pipe-trade helpers, not plumber-only wages, excluding premium pay and benefits.
Last updated October 26, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.