Machinist Salary in Virginia Beach, VA
Machinists in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area earn a median $62,900 a year — 7% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $49,918 take-home, or $4,160 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median machinist salary in Virginia Beach, VA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,368
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,900
- Medicare (1.45%)$912
- Virginia income tax$2,803
- Take-home pay$49,918
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.75% state
The Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro spans Virginia, North Carolina. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Machinist pay by experience in Virginia Beach, VA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $48,880 | $23.50 | $39,459 | $3,288 |
| 25th percentile | $49,900 | $23.99 | $40,220 | $3,352 |
| Median (50th) | $62,900 | $30.24 | $49,918 | $4,160 |
| 75th percentile | $67,660 | $32.53 | $53,352 | $4,446 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $76,540 | $36.80 | $59,089 | $4,924 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Virginia resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $62,900 buys in Virginia Beach, VA
Prices in Virginia Beach, VA are 2.1% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 0% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median machinist's $49,918 take-home pay has the buying power of $50,967 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Virginia Beach, VA has 1.7× the national concentration of machinist jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for machinists, adjusted for cost of living
Virginia Beach, VA ranks #6 of 22 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $74,560 | $61,283 | $55,144 |
| 2 | St. Louis, MO | $62,210 | $50,179 | $52,771 |
| 3 | Houston, TX | $61,280 | $51,418 | $52,133 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $72,060 | $56,141 | $51,855 |
| 5 | Cleveland, OH | $58,240 | $48,157 | $51,272 |
| 6 | Virginia Beach, VA | $62,900 | $49,918 | $50,967 |
| 7 | Hartford, CT | $64,320 | $51,892 | $50,505 |
| 8 | Milwaukee, WI | $60,320 | $48,774 | $50,315 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 22 metros →
About the job: machinists
Set up and operate a variety of machine tools to produce precision parts and instruments out of metal. May also fabricate and modify parts to make or repair machine tools or maintain industrial machines, applying knowledge of mechanics, mathematics, metal properties, layout, and machining procedures. Machinists who primarily program or operate computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment are classified in "Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators and Programmers" (51-9160).
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +1.0% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a machinist make in Virginia Beach, VA?
The median machinist salary in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area is $62,900 a year, or about $30.24 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $49,900 and $67,660.
What is a machinist’s take-home pay in Virginia Beach, VA?
On the median $62,900 salary, a single filer living in Virginia takes home about $49,918 a year ($4,160 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,803 in Virginia taxes in 2026.
Is Virginia Beach, VA a good place to work as a machinist?
Pay here is 7% above the national median of $58,750. Local prices are 2.1% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $50,967 would in a typical U.S. city. Virginia Beach, VA ranks #6 of 22 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a machinist afford rent in Virginia Beach, VA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Virginia Beach, VA is $1,508 a month ($1,708 for two bedrooms) — 36% of a median machinist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.