Pile Driver Operators Salary
The median pay for a pile driver operators in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC is $60,290/year ($28.99/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.94), that's roughly $61,558 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,713/month, about 43.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $60K get you in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk’s Regional Price Parity (97.94). 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 pile driver operators
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What this looks like in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
Pay for pile driver operators in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $73K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,713/month, which is 43.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.94) 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 pile driver operatorss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Entry-level pile driver operators (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Pile Driver Operators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Pile Driver Operators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $121K | +65% | 130 |
| Washington | $111K | +52% | 50 |
| California | $110K | +51% | 480 |
| Pennsylvania | $94K | +28% | 90 |
| Alaska | $78K | +7% | 190 |
| Texas | $66K | -10% | 280 |
| Louisiana | $61K | -17% | 180 |
| Virginia | $60K | -18% | 150 |
| Tennessee | $55K | -25% | 30 |
| Florida | $52K | -29% | 270 |
| Georgia | $48K | -35% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 11 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track pile driver operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a pile driver operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 43.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,713/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 pile driver operators in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pile driver operators typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,494/month. At HUD’s $1,713/month FMR, rent would take 49% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is pile driver operator a high-paying job in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $60K here vs. $73K nationally.
How does Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk compare to the national average for pile driver operators?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $73K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — below the national median.
How much do pile driver operators make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
The median is $60,290 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,240, and experienced pile driver operators can clear $81,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,961/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,713/month, which eats 43.2% 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 pile driver operators salary go in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk has a Regional Price Parity of 97.94 (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 pile driver operators salary is worth about $61,558 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do pile driver operators 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.