Sailors and Marine Oilers Salary
The median pay for a sailors and marine oilers in Virginia is $49,120/year ($23.62/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $51,820 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 49.1% 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 $49K get you in Virginia?
About sailors and marine oilers
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What this looks like in Virginia
Sailors and marine oilers pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $49K locally vs. $52K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 50.4% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level sailors and marine oilers (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Sailors and Marine Oilers salary by metro in Virginia
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $48K | -2% | 2,830 |
Compare to other states
Track sailors and marine oilers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a sailors and marine oiler afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 50.4% 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 $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for sailors and marine oilers in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new sailors and marine oilers typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,960/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 84% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is sailors and marine oiler a high-paying job in Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $49K locally vs. $52K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for sailors and marine oilers?
Virginia pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $52K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do sailors and marine oilers make in Virginia?
The median is $49,120 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,660, and experienced sailors and marine oilers can clear $60,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,267/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 50.4% 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 sailors and marine oilers 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 sailors and marine oilers salary is worth about $51,820 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do sailors and marine oilers 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.