Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers Salary
The median pay for a jewelers and precious stone and metal workers in Virginia is $61,940/year ($29.78/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $94K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $65,344 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 40.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $62K get you in Virginia?
About jewelers and precious stone and metal workers
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What this looks like in Virginia
Virginia sits well above the national pay line for jewelers and precious stone and metal workers, local pay runs about 18% higher than the U.S. median of $53K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 40.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level jewelers and precious stone and metal workers (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $94K or more, a $57K spread from bottom to top.
Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers salary by metro in Virginia
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $56K | -9% | 50 |
| Richmond | $55K | -11% | 70 |
Compare to other states
Track jewelers and precious stone and metal workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a jewelers and precious stone and metal worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 40.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for jewelers and precious stone and metal workers in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new jewelers and precious stone and metal workers typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,219/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 74% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is jewelers and precious stone and metal worker a high-paying job in Virginia?
Local pay is 18% above the national median — $62K here vs. $53K nationally.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for jewelers and precious stone and metal workers?
Virginia pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s +18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do jewelers and precious stone and metal workers make in Virginia?
The median is $61,940 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,990, and experienced jewelers and precious stone and metal workers can clear $93,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,064/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 40.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a jewelers and precious stone and metal workers salary go in Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median jewelers and precious stone and metal workers salary is worth about $65,344 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do jewelers and precious stone and metal workers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.