HOURLY WAGE INDEX

Let’s talk wages in Virginia

$12.00

What is the minimum wage in Virginia?

The Virginia minimum wage is $12.00 per hour. However, some cities and counties in Virginia have set their own higher minimum wages. It's important to check with the city or county where you are employed to confirm the Virginia minimum wage rate.

$33.68

What is the average wage in Virginia?

The average wage in Virginia varies depending on the occupation and industry. The average hourly wage for all occupations in Virginia is $33.68, and the average annual salary is $70,050. However, certain industries and occupations have significantly higher or lower average wages. For example, the average wage for management occupations is $62.40 per hour, while the average wage for food preparation and serving related occupations is $11.27 per hour.

$32.93

What is the living wage in Virginia?

A guide to hourly labor laws in Virginia

Standard Minimum Wage: $12 (Va. Code § 40.1-28.10) (DoL Table) (DOL State Minimum Wages).
Tipped Minimum Wage: $2.13; wages and tips must equal at least minimum wage (Va. Code § 40.1-28.9) (DoL Table).
Overtime: Hours exceeding 40 in a fixed week are overtime, paid at 1.5 times the regular rate (Va. Code § 40.1-29.2) (29 US Code § 207) (DoL).
Meal Breaks: No state or federal law requiring meal breaks. Federal law allows unpaid, non-working, bonafide meal breaks over 30 minutes; exceptions may apply (29 C.F.R. § 785.19) (DoL).
Rest Breaks: No state or federal law requires rest breaks. Breaks lasting 5–20 minutes must be paid (29 C.F.R. § 785.18).
Wage Deductions: Only those required by law, such as taxes, and those authorized by the employee in writing. Third-party deductions benefitting the employer may not reduce wages below the applicable minimum (Va. Code § 40.1-29) (29 C.F.R. § 4.168) (29 US Code § 203).

Final Paychecks: By the next regularly scheduled payday after termination or resignation (Va. Code § 40.1-29).
Wage Payment Frequency:
- Hourly workers: At least twice monthly.
- Salary workers: At least monthly (Va. Code § 40.1-29).
Paid Sick Leave: No relevant state/federal law. Policies are determined by the employer or through collective bargaining agreements (DoL).
Paid Family and Medical Leave: No paid leave. Up to 12 unpaid weeks in one year for eligible employees (FMLA).
Maximum Daily and Weekly Hours for Children Under 16:
- General: Employment Certificates are required. Must receive a 30-minute break for five hours of work.
- School session: No working during school hours; up to three hours per day and 18 hours per week.
- Non-school session: Up to eight hours per day and 40 hours per week.
- Working hours: Only between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., extended until 9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day (VA DOLI) (Va. Code § 40.1-100 et seq.) (29 C.F.R. § 570.35).
Maximum Daily and Weekly Hours for Children 16 and 17: No state/federal law restricting work hours beyond required school hours for non-hazardous occupations. (Va. Code § 40.1-100 et seq.) (DoL) (29 C.F.R. § 570.35).

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between gross wages and net wages?

It's important to remember that the Hourly Wage Index data above reflects gross wages, or the amount of money an employee earns before accounting for payroll deductions like taxes, benefits, or wage garnishments. Due to variability in tax rates across locations, slightly lower gross wages in a certain location might result in higher take home pay, or vice versa.

What is a good hourly wage?

This question is a difficult one to answer, as a "good hourly wage" is highly subjective according to experience, work responsibilities, cost of living, and other factors. We recommend using Hourly Wage Index data as a starting point. Once you have established a baseline for certain positions, do further research into similar businesses in your area. Lastly, consider surveying your employees. They're the best resource to help you know what is a good hourly wage, what competitive pay looks like in your location, and how competitive wages change in your industry over time.

Offering competitive pay is one of my top priorities—what other resources do you have that might help?

We know that getting applicants to pay attention to your business can be extremely challenging, and that offering competitive pay is a huge part of that. Wages aren’t everything, however! Applicant experience is another important factor that can help set you apart from your competition. A few examples include:

Short, easy to understand job descriptions
Mobile-friendliness
Quick communication
Streamlined interview stages

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A Workstream hiring specialist can help you identify high impact ways to improve your applicant experience, and even help you determine what is a good hourly wage for your location and business.