Excavation costs and wages in Virginia
What equipment operators and construction laborers earn in Virginia, how many excavation contractors are listed here and in which counties, and the state's licensing rules. Job prices aren't published for any one state, so our price ranges are national.
Checked October 2, 2026
Wages in Virginia
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Virginia earn a median of $27.48 an hour, or $57,160 a year (BLS, May 2025). Half of them earn between $23.10 and $30.45 an hour, the 25th to 75th percentiles (BLS state file). BLS counts 12,100 of these jobs in Virginia. That's below the national median of $28.78 an hour (BLS).
Construction laborers in Virginia earn a median of $20.94 an hour, or $43,560 a year (BLS, May 2025). Half of them earn between $17.80 and $22.86 an hour, the 25th to 75th percentiles (BLS state file). BLS counts 25,830 of these jobs in Virginia. That's below the national median of $22.66 an hour (BLS).
These are wages, not prices. A contractor's price also covers materials, equipment, insurance, overhead and profit, so a wage can't be turned into what a job costs you. BLS counts employees only, not the self-employed.
Contractors in Virginia
Virginia has 554 excavation contractors listed, and 180 of them hold an active USDOT registration. Of the counties with pages of their own, the largest are Frederick County (20), Pittsylvania County (18), Prince William County (18), Fauquier County (16) and Augusta County (15). Browse them by county, or ask for quotes and we'll match you with excavation contractors near you.
Permits and rules in Virginia
Virginia licenses contractors through the Virginia Board for Contractors (Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation) (Code of Virginia 54.1-1100 Definitions; 18VAC50-22-20 Definitions of specialty services).
National price ranges
National price ranges for excavation, clearing, grading and driveway work, each credited to its source, are in our guides to excavation, land clearing, grading and driveway costs.
For a planning range on your own job, run the estimator.
Virginia against the national range
Published labor data puts the Southeast's average rates lowest in the country (SiteX).
That's an average across a region, not a price for your job, and local quotes vary inside it.
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Cite this page
“Excavation costs and wages in Virginia.” LeaderExcavation.com, updated October 2, 2026. https://leaderexcavation.com/va/costs/