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Salary Guides / Virginia
Plumber Salary in Virginia
Compare Virginia employee wage bands with plumbing duties, paid hours, license responsibilities and the full terms of an offer.
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.
Where do you stand?
Enter your hourly rate to see how it compares to other plumbers 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 sector figures help frame Virginia plumbing offers. Ask about the employer's actual pipework, project schedule and paid travel arrangements within each setting.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Journeyman Plumber License | +$8.92 | $18,554 | $272 | 1 week |
| Virginia DPOR Master Plumber License | +$5.35 | $11,128 | $297 | 2 weeks |
| OSHA 30-Hour Construction | +$1.11 | $2,309 | $159 | 4 weeks |
| OSHA 10-Hour Construction | +$0.37 | $770 | $59 | 4 weeks |
| Permit-Required Confined Space Entrant/Attendant (8-hr) | +$0.30 | $624 | $159 | 14 weeks |
What overtime actually adds
Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $29.07/hr.
Questions workers ask
Can I take paid plumbing jobs on the side?▾
Does a salary remove a plumber's overtime rights?▾
Can DPOR backflow certification open more testing work?▾
See Open Plumber Jobs in Virginia
Verified positions matching this trade and location.
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.