How much do plumbers make in Virginia in 2026?

The median plumber in Virginia earns $60,470 a year, which works out to about $29.07 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That's the midpoint — half of Virginia's plumbers earn more, half earn less. If you're trying to figure out where you stand or where you're headed, the percentile breakdown tells the real story.

At the 25th percentile, plumbers in Virginia bring in $49,350 annually, or roughly $23.73 an hour. These are typically workers earlier in their careers, those still completing or recently finishing an apprenticeship, or those working in lower-wage pockets of the state. It's a livable wage, but there's significant room to move up with experience and the right licenses.

The 75th percentile sits at $71,780 a year — around $34.51 an hour. Workers at this level usually have years of experience behind them, hold a master plumber license, run crews or take on complex commercial and industrial projects, or work in higher-cost metro areas of the state. The gap between the 25th and 75th percentile is more than $22,000 annually, which underscores how much licensing, specialization, and geography matter in this trade.

Virginia requires plumbers to be licensed through the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR). There are distinct license tiers: journeyman plumber and master plumber. Most workers enter through a state-approved apprenticeship program — typically four or five years — before sitting for the journeyman exam. Earning a master plumber license opens the door to pulling permits, running a contracting business, and commanding pay at or above the 75th percentile. If you haven't pursued licensure beyond journeyman, that step alone can shift your earning potential considerably.

Geography within Virginia creates real pay variation. The Northern Virginia corridor — Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun — sits inside one of the most expensive labor markets on the East Coast. Plumbers working on commercial high-rises or large federal projects in that region often push well past the statewide 75th percentile. Meanwhile, plumbers in the Shenandoah Valley, Southside, or rural Southwest Virginia typically earn closer to the median or below it, reflecting both the cost of living and the scale of available projects.

Overtime and seasonality add to the picture. Plumbing demand spikes around new construction cycles and after hard freezes that rupture pipes. Plumbers willing to work emergency calls, nights, or weekends can meaningfully increase their annual take-home beyond what the base hourly rate suggests. A plumber earning $29 an hour who regularly works 10 hours of overtime weekly at time-and-a-half adds roughly $22,620 to their annual income — pushing well into 75th-percentile territory even on a median base rate.

The BLS OEWS data used here is a solid benchmark, but it has limits worth knowing. It captures base wages and doesn't include overtime pay, per diem, tool allowances, or employer contributions to benefits like health insurance and retirement accounts. Total compensation for plumbers — especially those working on larger commercial projects — is often higher than the wage figures alone suggest.

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

To move your pay toward the top of the range, the clearest levers are: earning your master plumber license, gaining experience in commercial or industrial work rather than residential service, positioning yourself in Northern Virginia or the Richmond metro where labor demand and project scale are higher, and being available for emergency and after-hours calls. Specializing in medical gas systems, fire suppression, or industrial process piping can also push compensation above the standard plumbing rate.

All figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release.