What do skilled trades pay in Virginia in 2026?
Median pay for 29 skilled trades in Virginia (BLS OEWS May 2025).
In 2026, the highest-paying skilled trades in Virginia are Elevator Installer (~$108,250) and Telecom Line Installer (~$79,090), across 29 trades tracked (BLS OEWS May 2025). Last updated June 2026.
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Which trade is best in Virginia?
Different trades win on different measures — here's the top on each. Pick the one that matters to you.
Highest median pay
Elevator Installer
$108,250
Most jobs
Construction Laborer
25,830 jobs
Across 29 trades: $43,560–$108,250 (median $55,840).
Virginia tracks 29 skilled trades on TradesPays, all drawn from BLS OEWS May 2025 statewide median wages. At the top of the range, Elevator Installers pull $108,250 a year; at the bottom, Construction Laborers come in at $43,560. The midpoint trade earns around $55,840, with most trades falling between $50,440 and $60,470. These are statewide figures — TradesPays does not hold Virginia metro-level breakdowns or apprentice-versus-journeyman splits beyond union scale data. If you work one of these trades in Virginia, these numbers are your negotiating floor: what the market is actually paying, nothing inflated.
Trades ranked by pay in Virginia
| # | Trade | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elevator Installer | $108,250 |
| 2 | Telecom Line Installer | $79,090 |
| 3 | Power-Line Worker | $76,590 |
| 4 | Boilermaker | $67,540 |
| 5 | Plasterer | $64,120 |
| 6 | Industrial Machinery Mechanic | $64,020 |
| 7 | Electrician | $62,900 |
| 8 | Plumber | $60,470 |
| 9 | Ironworker | $60,260 |
| 10 | HVAC Technician | $59,730 |
See all 29
| 11 | Glazier | $59,260 |
| 12 | Welder | $59,180 |
| 13 | Construction Equipment Operator | $57,160 |
| 14 | Insulation Worker | $57,010 |
| 15 | Drywall Installer | $55,840 |
| 16 | Carpenter | $55,690 |
| 17 | Rebar Worker | $55,120 |
| 18 | Brickmason | $54,680 |
| 19 | Sheet Metal Worker | $52,220 |
| 20 | Millwright | $51,430 |
| 21 | Cement Mason | $50,930 |
| 22 | Floor Layer | $50,440 |
| 23 | Solar Installer | $49,190 |
| 24 | Tile & Stone Setter | $48,880 |
| 25 | Pipelayer | $48,700 |
| 26 | Roofer | $48,420 |
| 27 | Painter | $47,470 |
| 28 | Hazardous Materials Removal Worker | $45,320 |
| 29 | Construction Laborer | $43,560 |
Where is the union premium biggest in Virginia?
Named locals and the premium over the BLS all-worker median.
We don't have union scale data for Virginia across our trades yet — these trades are predominantly non-union, or we haven't added IBEW/UA data. Submitting your pay helps build complete data for Virginia.
How Virginia trade pay is spread
Across the 29 trades tracked in Virginia, the pay range runs from $43,560 to $108,250 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025, statewide median wages). The 25th-to-75th band — $50,440 to $60,470 — is where most trades land, with a midpoint of $55,840. Elevator Installer sits at the top at $108,250; Construction Laborer anchors the bottom at $43,560. Every figure here is a nominal BLS dollar — the number BLS reports, before any cost-of-living adjustment. TradesPays does not apply cost-of-living indices to state wage data, so don't read a higher Virginia figure as automatically "better" than a lower number elsewhere until you account for what it costs to live where you work.
Where the jobs are in Virginia
By headcount, Construction Laborer is the most-employed trade TradesPays tracks in Virginia, with about 25,830 workers reported (BLS OEWS May 2025 total employment). Employment and pay are separate signals: the trade that employs the most people is rarely the top-paying one. TradesPays surfaces them separately on purpose — we don't blend headcount and wage into a single "best trade" score, because they answer different questions. If you want the highest wage, look at Elevator Installer; if you want the widest hiring market, Construction Laborer is where the volume is.
Trades in Virginia: FAQ
- What is the highest-paying skilled trade in Virginia?
- Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data, Elevator Installer is the top-paying trade tracked in Virginia, at a statewide median of $108,250.
- What is the lowest-paying trade in Virginia's dataset?
- Construction Laborer sits at the bottom of the 29 trades tracked in Virginia, with a statewide median of $43,560 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
- What does the typical skilled trade pay in Virginia?
- Across the 29 trades TradesPays tracks in Virginia, the midpoint trade earns about $55,840 (the median of the per-trade statewide medians), with most trades falling between $50,440 and $60,470 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
- How many skilled trades does TradesPays track in Virginia?
- TradesPays tracks 29 skilled trades at the state level in Virginia. All figures are statewide medians from BLS OEWS May 2025.
- Which trade employs the most workers in Virginia?
- Construction Laborer is the most-employed trade TradesPays tracks in Virginia, with about 25,830 workers reported (BLS OEWS May 2025 total employment). The trade that hires the most isn't the highest-paying — that's Elevator Installer at $108,250.
- Are Virginia's trade wages adjusted for cost of living?
- No. Every wage figure on TradesPays is a nominal BLS dollar — the number reported in BLS OEWS May 2025 before any cost-of-living adjustment. TradesPays does not apply cost-of-living indices to state figures, so what these dollars buy depends on where in Virginia you live and work.
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