Commercial electrical recruiters serving Hampton Roads.
Newport News Shipbuilding is running two concurrent submarine programs worth over $71B combined - demand so intense the shipyard's own parent company is outsourcing 2.5 million labor-hours in 2026. Marine electricians now run about 13% above national wage.
A shipyard the parent company can't keep staffed.
Conventional commercial electrical work in Hampton Roads is reasonably available - journeyman electricians here earn roughly 7% above national, a modest but real premium. The story that matters is much more specific than the market average.
Newport News Shipbuilding is running two submarine programs at once. The Virginia-class program is worth $42.1B across 9 boats plus material for a 10th; the Columbia-class program is worth $29.5B across 5 boats. Both compete for the same pool of certified marine electricians, welders, and pipefitters - and the demand is so intense that HII, the shipyard's parent company, is outsourcing more than 2.5 million labor-hours of shipbuilding work in 2026, a 30% increase from 2025, across 25 locations in 11 states. That's a direct signal the regional labor pool can't supply the volume the Navy's build schedule requires on its own.
Naval Station Norfolk, the world's largest naval station, adds a second, independent demand stream. Its infrastructure program - a new Child Development Center, substations, and Pier 14 power infrastructure supporting aircraft carrier operations - needs naval-facility electricians, a distinct specialty from submarine-certified shipyard work.
Together, these two tracks are why marine electricians in this metro run about 13% above national - the second-largest premium we track here, behind only marine welders.
The named programs driving the wage pressure.
A short list of major capital programs with significant commercial electrical scope in this metro. Every electrical contractor chasing marine or naval-facility work here is staffing against some combination of these.
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Newport News Shipbuilding is running both submarine programs concurrently - 9 Virginia-class boats plus material for a 10th, and 5 Columbia-class boats. Both compete for the same certified marine electrician pool, and demand is so intense that HII, the shipyard's parent company, is outsourcing more than 2.5 million labor-hours in 2026 (a 30% increase from 2025) because the regional workforce can't supply the volume on its own.
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New Child Development Center, substations, and Pier 14 power infrastructure supporting aircraft carrier operations at the world's largest naval station - steady commercial and naval-facility electrical demand independent of the shipyard's submarine work.
What you'll actually pay - by electrical role.
Hourly wage ranges for this metro, projected to 2026. Marine electricians carry the steepest premium, driven by Newport News Shipbuilding's concurrent submarine programs. National benchmarks by role are in the 2026 Commercial Electrical Salary Guide.
| Role | Metro range | Typical experience | Market notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial electrician (journeyman) | $29 – $38/hr | 3-7 yrs | Runs about 7% above national; marine and naval-facility-experienced electricians price at the top of this range |
| Apprentice electrician | $20 – $26/hr | 0-3 yrs | A steady pipeline; Virginia's DPOR licensing structure sets the qualifying path statewide |
| Marine electrician (shipyard) | $34 – $45/hr | 5-9 yrs | Runs about 13% above national. Newport News Shipbuilding is running Virginia-class ($42.1B, 9 boats) and Columbia-class ($29.5B, 5 boats) submarine programs concurrently, and demand is intense enough that HII is outsourcing 2.5M+ shipbuilding hours in 2026 to keep up |
| Naval facility / substation electrician | $32 – $42/hr | 5-9 yrs | Naval Station Norfolk, the world's largest naval station, is building new substations and Pier 14 power infrastructure to support aircraft carrier operations - steady, real demand independent of the shipyard's submarine programs |
| Military / government-facility construction electrician | $30 – $38/hr | 4-8 yrs | Naval Station Norfolk's new Child Development Center and other base-construction projects require electricians comfortable with government-facility security and inspection protocols |
| Building automation / controls electrician | $30 – $38/hr | 4-8 yrs | Named-platform experience commands the top of this range |
| Electrical foreman (marine / shipyard) | $36 – $46/hr | 7+ yrs | DPOR ELE classification fluency plus submarine or naval-facility project experience is the real differentiator given how concentrated demand is right now |
| Electrical project manager | $43 – $56/hr | 5-10 yrs | Marine, naval-facility, or government-construction delivery experience adds a genuine premium in this market |
| Electrical superintendent | $47 – $60/hr | 10+ yrs | Multi-specialty delivery depth (marine, naval-facility, conventional commercial) is the single most valuable credential at this level |
| Electrical estimator (marine / military) | $44 – $58/hr | 5+ yrs | Matches the metro's broader commercial estimator premium; naval or shipyard project portfolio experience is the differentiator |
Source: BLS OEWS, Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News MSA, projected to 2026. Actual offer rates depend on DPOR classification status, submarine/naval-facility experience, and project portfolio.
What candidates expect. What credentials matter. What kills offers.
We don't tell prospective clients who their competitors are hiring - that's a discipline our clients value, and we'll honor it on a call. What we will share publicly: how Hampton Roads commercial electrical hiring actually plays out in 2026.
Where Hampton Roads commercial electrical talent comes from
Conventional commercial electrical is reasonably available in this metro. The real bottleneck is marine electrical - Newport News Shipbuilding's concurrent Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarine programs have absorbed so much of the certified pool that the shipyard's own parent company is outsourcing work to compensate.
Credentials worth filtering for
Virginia licenses contractors statewide through DPOR in three classes by contract value (Class A unlimited, Class B up to $149,999/project, Class C up to $29,999/project) across 40+ classifications including Electrical (ELE). Verify the correct class and classification for the scope before presenting a candidate. For marine roles, prior submarine or naval-shipyard experience is the filter that actually separates candidates - conventional commercial electrical experience doesn't transfer directly.
What candidates expect from a Hampton Roads electrical offer in 2026
Comp meaningfully above national for marine work - roughly 13% for marine electricians, the second-largest premium we track in this metro behind marine welders. Conventional commercial runs a more modest 7% above national. Clarity on whether the role is conventional commercial, naval-facility, or shipyard/submarine work, since those source and price very differently here.
What kills Hampton Roads commercial electrical hires
Assuming a strong conventional commercial resume transfers to shipyard work. It doesn't - submarine construction has its own security, inspection, and quality-control requirements that a candidate needs direct exposure to. Underestimating how far behind schedule Newport News Shipbuilding is running: HII outsourcing 2.5M+ hours in 2026 is a direct signal the regional labor pool is already stretched thin.
Realistic timelines, by role
Journeyman electricians (conventional commercial): 4-6 weeks intake to signed offer. Apprentices: 3-5 weeks. Naval-facility and military-construction electricians: 6-9 weeks. Marine electricians (shipyard): 9-13 weeks - among the hardest electrical fills we track in any market, given the concurrent Virginia-class and Columbia-class programs. We tell you which bucket your role is in on the intake call.
The electrical positions we fill, most often.
Across Hampton Roads commercial electrical clients, these are the highest-volume roles we've recruited for in the last 24 months. Marine electricians are flagged in the wage table above as the tightest fill.
- Commercial electrician (journeyman)
- Apprentice electrician
- Marine electrician (shipyard)
- Naval facility / substation electrician
- Military / government-facility construction electrician
- Building automation / controls electrician
- Electrical foreman (marine / shipyard)
- Electrical project manager
- Electrical superintendent
- Electrical estimator (marine / military)
For the broader picture across every commercial trade in this metro, see the Hampton Roads metro overview. To learn more about commercial electrical generally (across all 100 markets we serve), see our Commercial Electrical industry page.
How we recruit commercial electrical in Virginia Beach, plainly.
Same approach we use in every market - tuned for what works in Hampton Roads commercial electrical specifically:
- Same-day intake call. We get the role, the project context, the budget, your dealbreakers. For this metro, we also establish whether the role sits in conventional commercial, naval-facility, or shipyard/submarine work, since those source and price very differently.
- Candidate sourcing within 48 hours. We pull from our existing Hampton Roads electrical candidate network for conventional-commercial and naval-facility roles. For marine/submarine electricians, we work a wider network, since demand has outpaced even this deep a market's bench.
- Vetted short list (week one for standard roles). Three to five candidates. We verify the correct DPOR class and Electrical (ELE) classification, test technical depth on the specific specialty, and confirm wage expectations against the correct track of this market.
- Offer and close. Conventional commercial roles close in 4-6 weeks. Naval-facility and military-construction electricians run 6-9 weeks. Marine electricians (shipyard) run 9-13 weeks. We help with the offer math throughout.
Virginia Beach runs 54% more commercial electrical workers per job than the country as a whole — well above the national concentration. More per job means more people to reach, and more employers reaching them.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 , Electricians. Metro-wide figures for the base occupation; the wage table above is role-specific and commercial.
How Virginia Beach's commercial electrical market compares
In 2023 the Virginia Beach metro had 187 nonresidential electrical contractors (counted by business location), with about 4,220 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $73,524, 13.1% below the national average of $84,633 for the same kind of employer. Headcount grew 7% over the year, faster than the 4.9% national increase, so local employers were adding people quicker than most of the country. That works out to 10 per 100,000 residents, close to the 11 national rate.
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Virginia Beach ranks 29th for headcount, 56th for median pay and 2nd for concentration for electricians. That puts it among the deepest commercial electrical labor markets in the country.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | 5,740 | $62,350 | 1.54 | 187 |
| Richmond | 3,600 | $61,350 | 1.12 | 211 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial electrical employers in Virginia Beach, the pool is deep and still growing, so the constraint is competition rather than supply. Move fast on good candidates, because another local firm is probably talking to them too.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Virginia Beach metro. Employers are counted by business location.
How Virginia Beach's commercial electrical market has changed since 2018.
The number of nonresidential electrical contractors in Virginia Beach rose from 180 in 2018 to 187 in 2023, up 4%, close to the 6% national change. Headcount at those firms went up 7%, to about 4,220 people. Average annual pay there went from $57,207 to $73,524 (+29%), faster than the 21% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential electrical contractors: business locations | 180 | 187 | +4% |
| Nonresidential electrical contractors: employment | 3,956 | 4,220 | +7% |
| Nonresidential electrical contractors: average annual pay | $57,207 | $73,524 | +29% |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private employers, annual averages. A dash means BLS did not publish the figure.
Frequently asked — commercial electrical hiring in Virginia Beach.
What is a commercial electrician paid in Hampton Roads in 2026?
Commercial electricians (journeyman) in Hampton Roads typically earn $29–$38/hr, roughly 7% above national. Marine electricians working in the shipyard run $34–$45/hr - about 13% above national - given Newport News Shipbuilding's concurrent Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarine programs.
Why is marine electrical talent so scarce in Hampton Roads?
Newport News Shipbuilding holds $42.1B in Virginia-class submarine contracts (9 boats plus material for a 10th) and $29.5B in Columbia-class contracts (5 boats), both running concurrently and drawing on the same certified marine electrician pool. Demand is intense enough that HII, the shipyard's parent company, is outsourcing more than 2.5 million labor-hours in 2026 - a 30% increase from 2025 - because the regional workforce can't supply the volume on its own.
Is naval-facility electrical work the same as shipyard/submarine electrical work in Hampton Roads?
No, and we treat them as separate sourcing tracks. Naval Station Norfolk's infrastructure program - new substations, a Child Development Center, and Pier 14 power infrastructure for aircraft carrier operations - is steady military-construction electrical demand, independent of Newport News Shipbuilding's submarine programs. Naval-facility electricians typically don't need the same submarine-specific certifications that shipyard marine electricians do.
How does electrical contractor licensing work in Hampton Roads?
Virginia licenses contractors statewide through the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) in three classes by contract value - Class A (unlimited), Class B (up to $149,999/project), Class C (up to $29,999/project) - across 40+ trade classifications including Electrical (ELE). We verify the correct class and classification before presenting any candidate.
What do electricians earn in Virginia Beach?
BLS puts the Virginia Beach median for electricians at $62,350 a year, about the same as the $63,190 national median. That ranks 59th of 112 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $43,970 and $81,280, a 1.8x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. No other Virginia metro we cover pays more for this work (Richmond: $61,350).
Is it hard to hire electricians in Virginia Beach?
Not by national standards. Electricians make up 54% more of the Virginia Beach workforce than they do nationally, about 5,740 people. The 187 nonresidential electrical contractors here average about 23 employees per location.
Which commercial electrical roles pay the most in Virginia Beach?
Of the roles we recruit for, Controls / Instrumentation Technician pays the most in Virginia Beach, a $96,870 median. Electrician Helper / Apprentice is the lowest-paid field role at $44,530. Relative to national pay, Controls / Instrumentation Technician is the strongest-paying role here (24% above).
How many nonresidential electrical contractors operate in Virginia Beach?
BLS counted 187 nonresidential electrical contractors in Virginia Beach in 2023, employing about 4,220 people between them. Up from 180 in 2018, a 4% increase against 6% growth nationally. That averages 23 people per location. They pay an average of $73,524, 13% below the $84,633 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Virginia Beach for electricians?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Richmond (95 miles, about 3,600, $61,350 median), Washington, D.C. (152 miles, about 16,580, $75,930 median) and Raleigh (166 miles, about 3,740, $56,800 median). Washington, D.C. has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Washington, D.C. pays 22% more, which is where Virginia Beach employers tend to lose people.
Hiring commercial electrical in Hampton Roads?
Tell us the role and the project. We'll tell you wages, timeline, and where we'd source - in under 30 minutes.