Lighting Technicians Salary
Lighting Technicians in Richmond, VA make a median of $55,220 a year, or about $26.55 an hour. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.86), that's roughly $56,428 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,655/month, about 45.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $55K get you in Richmond?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Richmond’s Regional Price Parity (97.86). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About lighting technicians
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Richmond
Pay for lighting technicians in Richmond runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $68K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,655/month, which is 45.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.86) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for lighting technicianss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for lighting technicians in metros near Richmond, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $63K | $65K |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | $63K | $58K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $50K | $48K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Richmond, VA
Entry-level lighting technicians (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Lighting Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Lighting Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $126K | +85% | 80 |
| California | $94K | +38% | 2,950 |
| New Jersey | $88K | +29% | 340 |
| New York | $78K | +15% | 780 |
| Connecticut | $72K | +6% | 80 |
| Georgia | $70K | +3% | 260 |
| Oklahoma | $67K | -1% | 60 |
| Louisiana | $67K | -2% | 40 |
| Florida | $62K | -9% | 600 |
| Nevada | $61K | -10% | 390 |
| Tennessee | $61K | -11% | 280 |
| Virginia | $60K | -11% | 190 |
| Michigan | $60K | -12% | 230 |
| Massachusetts | $60K | -12% | N/A |
| Oregon | $58K | -15% | 180 |
| Pennsylvania | $58K | -15% | 100 |
| Ohio | $55K | -19% | 260 |
| Montana | $55K | -19% | 50 |
| Texas | $53K | -22% | 210 |
| Indiana | $50K | -26% | 190 |
| Nebraska | $50K | -27% | N/A |
| North Carolina | $49K | -27% | N/A |
| Utah | $49K | -28% | 120 |
| Maryland | $49K | -28% | 130 |
| Kansas | $49K | -28% | N/A |
| South Carolina | $47K | -31% | 60 |
| Missouri | $42K | -38% | 90 |
Showing 1–10 of 27 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track lighting technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Richmond numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a lighting technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Richmond?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 45.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,655/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for lighting technicians in Richmond?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new lighting technicians typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,600/month. At HUD’s $1,655/month FMR, rent would take 64% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is lighting technician a high-paying job in Richmond?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $55K here vs. $68K nationally.
How does Richmond compare to the national average for lighting technicians?
Richmond pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — below the national median.
How much do lighting technicians make in Richmond, VA?
The median is $55,220 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,340, and experienced lighting technicians can clear $68,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Richmond?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,646/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,655/month, which eats 45.4% 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 lighting technicians salary go in Richmond?
Richmond has a Regional Price Parity of 97.86 (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 lighting technicians salary is worth about $56,428 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do lighting technicians 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.