Lighting Technicians Salary
Lighting Technicians in Virginia make a median of $60,340 a year, or about $29.01 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $63,657 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 41.5% 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 $60K get you in Virginia?
About lighting technicians
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What this looks like in Virginia
Pay for lighting technicians in Virginia runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $68K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 41.5% 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for lighting technicianss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level lighting technicians (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
Lighting Technicians salary by metro in Virginia
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $55K | -8% | 30 |
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a lighting technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 41.5% 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 lighting technicians in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new lighting technicians typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,762/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 93% 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 Virginia?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $60K here vs. $68K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for lighting technicians?
Virginia pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $64K — below the national median.
How much do lighting technicians make in Virginia?
The median is $60,340 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,360, and experienced lighting technicians can clear $75,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,964/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 41.5% 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 lighting technicians 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 lighting technicians salary is worth about $63,657 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.