Industrial Electrician Pay in Virginia
Updated 2026-10-30 · Based on 11 active job postings with disclosed pay · Compared to BLS OES data · 22 postings in the last 90 days, up 64% vs. run rate
ElectricianDB tracks 25 active industrial electricians openings in Virginia, 11 with disclosed pay. Median hourly pay is $27.31, with the middle 50% earning $27.31–$27.31.
Compared to the national median of $38/hr, Virginia pays 28.13% below average.
The Virginia electrician labor market
Virginia is the most important electrician labor market in the United States, anchored by Loudoun County's Data Center Alley — the largest data center cluster on earth, with industry analysts attributing an estimated 25-35% of global data center capacity to Northern Virginia alone. Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Google, Meta, and Oracle all operate massive campuses along the Route 28 and Loudoun Parkway corridors, and each new hyperscale build creates years of demand for journeyman wiremen, foremen, low-voltage technicians, and critical-facilities specialists. Dominion Energy's grid serves this load with some of the most aggressive substation and transmission construction in the country, adding utility-side electrician work on top of the private-sector boom. Beyond Ashburn, the market has real depth: the Hampton Roads shipyards and Navy installations sustain a large marine-electrical workforce, Richmond's manufacturing and commercial base keeps service electricians busy, and the Dulles corridor's ongoing commercial buildout adds steady commercial work. Union density is meaningful — IBEW Local 26 (Washington DC/Northern Virginia) and Local 80 (Norfolk) anchor the organized side, and prevailing-wage coverage on the region's heavy flow of federal and state-funded work lifts the floor for everyone. Virginia is a right-to-work state, so open-shop contractors compete aggressively, which keeps posting volumes high and gives traveling electricians unusual leverage: per-diem packages for Data Center Alley assignments routinely lead the nation. Workforce pressure is the binding constraint — apprenticeship pipelines through the JATCs cannot keep pace with announced capacity, so wages for cleared, experienced, and foreman-tier electricians have outrun the state median for three consecutive years. For an electrician willing to travel, Northern Virginia is the single highest-opportunity market in the country; for locals, it offers a rare combination of scale, rate growth, and career runway from apprentice through general foreman.
Government data (BLS)
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports Virginia Electricians wages (May 2025 OES): median $30.24, 75th percentile $37.59, 90th percentile $50.83.
Source: BLS OES Virginia (May 2025 OES)
Our postings median ($27.31/hr) runs 10% below the BLS statewide median — posted openings skew toward lower-paying roles than the survey average.
Union data (IBEW)
| Local | City | Journeyman base ($/hr) | Contract | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 666 | Richmond | $39.35 | 2026 | asksparkyai.com |
| 1340 | Newport News | $35.53 | 2026 | asksparkyai.com |
| 80 | Norfolk | $30.55 | 2022 | asksparkyai.com |
Pay comparison
| Metric | Our Data | BLS | IBEW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median ($/hr) | $27.31 | $30.24 | $35.53 |
| 25th percentile ($/hr) | $27.31 | — | — |
| 75th percentile ($/hr) | $27.31 | $37.59 | — |
| 90th percentile ($/hr) | — | $50.83 | — |
| Sample size | 11 postings | OES survey | 3 locals |
| Source | ElectricianDB | BLS OES | Listed above |
Why the columns differ: our percentiles come from 11 live postings (median + middle 50%). The BLS column shows the three percentiles our dataset carries (median, 75th, 90th) — BLS publishes more than we import. IBEW figures are journeyman base rates (median across 3 in-state locals), not survey percentiles. How we calculate pay →
Highest-paying industrial electricians openings in Virginia
- Project Lead - Structured Cabling — IES Holdings (Chantilly) · $32–$32/hr
- Crew Lead - Structured Cabling — IES Holdings (Chantilly) · $28–$28/hr
- NOW HIRING! PMQS IS LOOKING FOR DECK ELECTRICIANS IN NEWPORT NEWS, VA – $20.66–$27.31/HR + $140/DAY PER DIEM! — PMQ Services (Newport News) · $27.31–$27.31/hr
- NOW HIRING! PMQS IS LOOKING FOR DECK ELECTRICIANS IN NEWPORT NEWS, VA � $20.66�$27.31/HR + $140/DAY PER DIEM! — PMQ Services (Newport News) · $27.31–$27.31/hr
- NOW HIRING! PMQS IS LOOKING FOR DECK ELECTRICIANS IN NEWPORT NEWS, VA � $20.66�$27.31/HR + $140/DAY PER DIEM! — PMQ Services (Newport News) · $27.31–$27.31/hr
Active projects driving demand
- Data Center Alley hyperscale expansion (Loudoun/Prince William) (data center)
- Dominion Energy transmission and substation buildout (utility)
- Hampton Roads shipyard and naval facilities sustainment (industrial)
IBEW locals in Virginia
Sample postings
Pay above is sourced from active postings including:
- PMQ Services – Exciting Opportunity For Deck Electricians – $27.31/hr (Newport News, VA) View posting →
- PMQ Services – NOW HIRING! PMQS IS LOOKING FOR DECK ELECTRICIANS IN NEWPORT NEWS, VA – $20.66–$27.31/HR + $120/DAY PER DIEM! – $27.31/hr (Newport News, VA) View posting →
- IES Holdings – Project Lead - Structured Cabling – $32/hr (Chantilly, VA) View posting →
Top employers hiring industrial electricians in Virginia
Industrial Electrician openings in Virginia
Frequently asked questions
What does a industrial electrician earn in Virginia?
Based on 11 active postings on ElectricianDB, median hourly pay is $27.31, with the middle 50% earning $27.31–$27.31. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a Virginia median of $30.24 for Electricians (May 2025 OES). IBEW journeyman base rates across 3 in-state locals median $35.53/hr.
How does Virginia compare to the national median?
Virginia pays 28.13% below the national median of $38/hr for industrial electricians.
Who pays industrial electricians the most in Virginia?
Among employers with disclosed pay, the most active are PMQ Services (8 postings), IES Holdings (2 postings).
What does an electrician make in Virginia?
Based on 11 disclosed-pay postings tracked by ElectricianDB, the median hourly pay for industrial electrician work in Virginia is $27.31/hr. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a statewide electrician median of $30.24/hr.
Where are the highest-paying electrician jobs in Virginia?
The strongest recent postings cluster around Chantilly, Newport News. Top-end rates on active postings run above the $27.31/hr median — see the highest-paying openings listed on this page for current examples.
Which employers pay electricians the most in Virginia?
Among employers with repeated postings in Virginia, PMQ Services show the highest average disclosed minimums. Averages reflect posted ranges, not verified take-home pay.
Do you need a Virginia electrician license to work there?
Most states require a license for unsupervised electrical work, and requirements vary by state and municipality — see our step-by-step licensing pathway for Virginia for the exact hours, exam, and fees.
What's the prevailing wage for electricians in Virginia?
Prevailing-wage coverage depends on federal and state funding rules that differ by project and jurisdiction — see Virginia prevailing wage rates for the current determinations.
How many electrician jobs are posted in Virginia right now?
ElectricianDB is currently tracking 11 disclosed-pay industrial electrician postings in Virginia. Counts change as contractors post and fill roles.
More on Virginia
More pay data in Virginia
Already licensed in Virginia? Check Virginia reciprocity →