Machinist salary in Virginia
Median $29.47 an hour for 5,660 machinists, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Machinist pay in Virginia: the full range
Virginia ranks 14th of 51 states for median machinist pay, and 30th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $29.15). 5,660 machinists work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.9× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $21.69 – $23.99 | $45,120 – $49,900 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $23.99 – $34.36 | $49,900 – $71,470 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $34.36 – $41.53 | $71,470 – $86,380 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Machinist pay by metro in Virginia
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington DC | $23.47 | $33.10 | $30.39 | $54.69 | 620 | 12% above |
| Virginia Beach | $23.50 | $30.24 | $30.89 | $36.80 | 2,350 | 3% above |
| Richmond | $22.54 | $30.12 | $30.77 | $46.06 | 650 | 2% above |
| Lynchburg | $21.36 | $29.39 | $32.87 | $43.46 | 480 | about the same as |
| Staunton | $22.73 | $29.05 | $31.89 | $38.45 | 130 | 1% below |
| Blacksburg | $21.49 | $28.81 | $31.08 | $38.14 | 230 | 2% below |
| Kingsport | $17.30 | $27.83 | $32.21 | $36.54 | 450 | 6% below |
| Charlottesville | $16.59 | $26.73 | $26.97 | $38.48 | 50 | 9% below |
| Roanoke | $20.49 | $25.00 | $26.71 | $42.94 | 290 | 15% below |
| Harrisonburg | $18.85 | $23.99 | $25.28 | $35.37 | 60 | 19% below |
| Winchester | $19.95 | $23.62 | $24.48 | $36.85 | 100 | 20% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Machinist wages in Virginia over time
Table
| Year | Virginia $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $15.14 | $29.26 | $14.30 | 8,370 |
| 2000 | $15.87 | $29.67 | $14.78 | 6,660 |
| 2001 | $16.38 | $29.78 | $15.43 | 6,590 |
| 2002 | $16.42 | $29.38 | $15.66 | 7,120 |
| 2003 | $16.11 | $28.19 | $15.91 | 6,620 |
| 2004 | $16.50 | $28.12 | $16.33 | 7,220 |
| 2005 | $16.85 | $27.78 | $16.51 | 7,820 |
| 2006 | $17.21 | $27.48 | $16.71 | 7,170 |
| 2007 | $17.51 | $27.19 | $16.94 | 6,820 |
| 2008 | $17.84 | $26.68 | $17.41 | 7,250 |
| 2009 | $18.94 | $28.42 | $18.10 | 7,230 |
| 2010 | $19.26 | $28.44 | $18.52 | 7,340 |
| 2011 | $19.74 | $28.25 | $18.86 | 7,680 |
| 2012 | $19.78 | $27.74 | $18.99 | 7,370 |
| 2013 | $20.37 | $28.15 | $19.03 | 7,170 |
| 2014 | $20.67 | $28.11 | $19.22 | 6,670 |
| 2015 | $20.96 | $28.47 | $19.49 | 6,850 |
| 2016 | $21.79 | $29.23 | $20.05 | 6,460 |
| 2017 | $22.68 | $29.79 | $20.48 | 6,940 |
| 2018 | $23.71 | $30.40 | $20.97 | — |
| 2019 | $23.77 | $29.93 | $21.36 | 7,720 |
| 2020 | $25.06 | $31.17 | $22.04 | — |
| 2021 | $23.61 | $28.05 | $22.95 | 7,690 |
| 2022 | $28.01 | $30.81 | $23.32 | 8,250 |
| 2023 | $28.43 | $30.04 | $24.44 | 7,720 |
| 2024 | $29.29 | $30.06 | $27.00 | 6,140 |
| 2025 | $29.47 | $29.47 | $28.24 | 5,660 |
In today's dollars, the median machinist wage in Virginia changed by +3.5% over the last ten years of data and by -1.5% since 2019.
Are there more machinist jobs in Virginia?
Since 1999, the number of machinists counted in Virginia has changed by -32.4%, against -31.6% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -26.7%.
Table
| Year | Virginia jobs | Virginia index | US index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 8,370 | 100 | 100 |
| 2000 | 6,660 | 80 | 100 |
| 2001 | 6,590 | 79 | 93 |
| 2002 | 7,120 | 85 | 88 |
| 2003 | 6,620 | 79 | 88 |
| 2004 | 7,220 | 86 | 86 |
| 2005 | 7,820 | 93 | 88 |
| 2006 | 7,170 | 86 | 92 |
| 2007 | 6,820 | 82 | 98 |
| 2008 | 7,250 | 87 | 100 |
| 2009 | 7,230 | 86 | 91 |
| 2010 | 7,340 | 88 | 84 |
| 2011 | 7,680 | 92 | 88 |
| 2012 | 7,370 | 88 | 92 |
| 2013 | 7,170 | 86 | 93 |
| 2014 | 6,670 | 80 | 94 |
| 2015 | 6,850 | 82 | 95 |
| 2016 | 6,460 | 77 | 93 |
| 2017 | 6,940 | 83 | 90 |
| 2019 | 7,720 | 92 | 91 |
| 2021 | 7,690 | 92 | 79 |
| 2022 | 8,250 | 99 | 76 |
| 2023 | 7,720 | 92 | 69 |
| 2024 | 6,140 | 73 | 71 |
| 2025 | 5,660 | 68 | 68 |
Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.
Outlook for machinists in Virginia
Virginia's labor market agency projects the number of machinists in the state to change by +5.9% between 2024 and 2034, from 5,390 to 5,710, with about 570 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +1.0% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 5,660 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Virginia labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Is construction work growing in Virginia?
Keep comparing
Machinist pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Virginia
More on Virginia
Questions this page answers
How much do machinists make in Virginia?
The median machinist in Virginia earned $29.47 an hour ($61,290 a year) in May 2025, 4% above the national median of $28.24. The middle half earn $23.99–$34.36; the top 10% earn more than $41.53.
Where does Virginia rank for machinist pay?
Virginia ranks 14th of 51 states for machinist pay, with a median of $29.47 an hour, and 30th after adjusting for Virginia's cost of living (BEA price parity 101.1, US = 100).
What is the union machinist rate in Virginia?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a machinist classification for most Virginia counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many machinists work in Virginia?
BLS counted 5,660 machinists in Virginia in May 2025, 1.4 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.75; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is machinist work growing in Virginia?
The BLS employer survey count of machinists in Virginia went from 6,850 in 2015 to 5,660 in 2025, -17.4%, and -26.7% since 2019. Virginia's labor market agency projects +5.9% growth for machinists between 2024 and 2034, from 5,390 to 5,710 jobs.
How many machinist openings a year are there in Virginia?
Virginia projects about 570 openings a year for machinists over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 26,100 a year.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Virginia and metro areas, SOC 51-4041. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
- State projection: Virginia labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.