Skilled Wages

Lineman salary in Virginia

Median $36.82 an hour for 2,920 electrical power-line installers and repairers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$36.82/hrMedian hourly wageVirginia, May data
$76,590/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$23.81 – $51.3710th to 90th percentilehourly range
2,920Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Lineman pay in Virginia: the full range

Wage percentiles, VirginiaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$20$40$60$80/hrVirginia: 10th $23.81 · 25th $29.20 · median $36.82 · 75th $48.30 · 90th $51.37Virginia$36.82$23.81$51.37United States: 10th $24.74 · 25th $32.34 · median $45.83 · 75th $52.76 · 90th $61.87United States$45.83
Hourly wage percentiles for electrical power-line installers and repairers: Virginia vs United States, May 2025.

Virginia ranks 46th of 51 states for median lineman pay, and 50th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $36.42). 2,920 electrical power-line installers and repairers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$23.81 – $29.20$49,520 – $60,740roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$29.20 – $48.30$60,740 – $100,460the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$48.30 – $51.37$100,460 – $106,860the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Lineman pay by metro in Virginia

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrWashington DC: $45.91Washington DC$45.91Blacksburg: $40.79Blacksburg$40.79Staunton: $38.36Staunton$38.36Kingsport: $37.91Kingsport$37.91Richmond: $37.55Richmond$37.55Virginia Beach: $32.86Virginia Beach$32.86
Median hourly wage for electrical power-line installers and repairers by metro area in Virginia, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Washington DC$28.36$45.91$59.921,53025% above
Blacksburg$21.79$40.79$50.145011% above
Staunton$22.93$38.36$49.95604% above
Kingsport$26.98$37.91$48.511103% above
Richmond$24.48$37.55$50.774902% above
Virginia Beach$23.64$32.86$48.3342011% below

Lineman wages in Virginia over time

Virginia, 1999-2025VirginiaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50200020052010201520202025$45.83United States$36.82Virginia
Median hourly wage for electrical power-line installers and repairers, Virginia vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearVirginia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$20.51$39.63$20.973,420
2000$22.03$41.19$22.013,550
2001$23.21$42.19$22.704,180
2002$23.57$42.18$23.333,950
2003$23.90$41.82$23.543,940
2004$23.96$40.84$23.614,540
2005$23.50$38.74$24.113,840
2006$22.64$36.15$24.413,580
2007$22.41$34.80$25.272,870
2008$22.78$34.06$26.493,320
2009$24.08$36.14$27.243,200
2010$21.74$32.10$27.903,910
2011$24.61$35.22$28.943,130
2012$25.19$35.32$30.412,960
2013$28.26$39.05$30.852,360
2014$28.58$38.87$31.702,300
2015$29.29$39.78$31.952,470
2016$31.94$42.84$32.702,930
2017$32.14$42.21$33.362,980
2018$31.16$39.95$34.093,720
2019$31.35$39.48$34.863,410
2020$31.75$39.49$36.073,230
2021$30.50$36.24$37.652,950
2022$31.17$34.29$39.593,270
2023$35.67$37.69$41.073,130
2024$37.11$38.09$44.502,830
2025$36.82$36.82$45.832,920

In today's dollars, the median lineman wage in Virginia changed by -7.5% over the last ten years of data.

Is construction work growing in Virginia?

231.3kConstruction jobsVirginia, 2026-08
-1.4%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k150k200k250k300k19901995200020052010201520202025231kAug 2026
Construction employment in Virginia (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Lineman pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Virginia

Questions this page answers

How much do linemans make in Virginia?

The median lineman in Virginia earned $36.82 an hour ($76,590 a year) in May 2025, 20% below the national median of $45.83. The middle half earn $29.20–$48.30; the top 10% earn more than $51.37.

Where does Virginia rank for lineman pay?

Virginia ranks 46th of 51 states for lineman pay, with a median of $36.82 an hour, and 50th after adjusting for Virginia's cost of living (BEA price parity 101.1, US = 100).

What is the union lineman rate in Virginia?

Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a lineman classification for most Virginia counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.

How many linemans work in Virginia?

BLS counted 2,920 electrical power-line installers and repairers in Virginia in May 2025, 0.7 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.84; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Virginia and metro areas, SOC 49-9051.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.