How much do plasterers make in Virginia in 2026?

The median plasterer in Virginia earns $64,120 a year, which works out to about $30.83 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That's the midpoint — half the plasterers in the state earn more, half earn less. If you're newer to the trade or working in a slower market, the 25th percentile sits at $56,730 annually, or roughly $27.27 an hour. The 75th percentile comes in at $64,310 — about $30.92 an hour — which is remarkably close to the median, telling you that the middle of Virginia's plasterer pay range is tightly compressed.

That narrow band between the median ($64,120) and the 75th percentile ($64,310) — a gap of just $190 per year — is worth paying attention to. It suggests that once plasterers in Virginia reach journeyman-level competence, they tend to cluster around a similar pay band. Differentiating yourself above that ceiling likely requires specializing in high-end finishes, historic restoration, or ornamental plasterwork, where the work is more complex and clients pay accordingly.

The bigger pay jump is on the lower end. Moving from the 25th percentile ($56,730) to the median ($64,120) represents a gain of $7,390 per year — roughly $3.55 an hour. That gap is where early-career plasterers have the most room to grow, typically by completing a formal apprenticeship, adding venetian plaster or EIFS certifications, or consistently hitting quality marks that keep them employed year-round rather than getting laid off between projects.

Virginia's geography matters for plasterers. The Northern Virginia and D.C. metro corridor — Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun, Prince William counties — tends to produce more commercial and high-end residential work than the rest of the state. Historic properties in cities like Richmond and Alexandria also generate steady demand for skilled plaster repair and restoration, work that commands premium rates compared to standard drywall finishing or stucco applications. Rural and western Virginia markets generally offer less volume, which can translate to more hours lost to weather downtime or project gaps.

Overtime is a real factor in this trade. Plasterers often push hard to close out a job before a deadline or beat bad weather, and a plasterer billing $30.83 an hour for even 200 hours of overtime in a year (at time-and-a-half, ~$46.25/hr) adds roughly $9,250 in gross pay. That can push effective annual earnings well above what the BLS base figures show, since the BLS OEWS survey captures base wages and does not fully reflect overtime, per diem, or tool allowances.

Licensing in Virginia does not require a state-issued plasterer's license for the individual worker, but plastering contractors must hold a Class A, B, or or C contractor's license through the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR). As a worker, having documented apprenticeship hours or journeyman credentials from a trade program makes you more hireable and gives you leverage in wage negotiations, even without a personal license requirement.

Some workers in this trade may be covered by a collective bargaining agreement — check with your local for current rates.

The numbers on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, released May 2025. BLS figures represent straight-time wages and salaries and do not include overtime pay, benefits, bonuses, or non-cash compensation. Use these numbers as a floor for understanding the market, not a ceiling.