Benchmark $455/mo · ranked 2 of 21 · median wage $56,320
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The benchmark premium for a 40-year-old in Virginia is $455 a month for 2026, ranking 2 of 21 states published here. BLS reports a median annual wage of $56,320 for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in Virginia.
Below the cliff. At this income a single-person household remains eligible for a premium tax credit in 2026.
This occupation is below the cliff in all 21 states reported.
What this figure is. It is the median annual wage BLS reports for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics (SOC 49-3023) in Virginia. BLS surveys wage and salary workers and excludes the self-employed, so it is a benchmark for the occupation in this state — not the income of a self-employed auto mechanic. Premium tax credit eligibility is set by household modified adjusted gross income and household size, not by occupation, so treat this as a reference point rather than a determination of what you qualify for.
Why the cliff is back. The enhanced premium tax credits expired on 31 December 2025. For plan year 2026 the 400% FPL limit applies again, so household income above $62,600 ends premium tax credit eligibility outright.
Benchmark premium and median wage for this occupation, ranked by premium.
| # | State | Benchmark @40 | Median wage | vs cliff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $414 | $57,560 | below |
| 2 | Virginia | $455 | $56,320 | below |
| 3 | Indiana | $474 | $47,550 | below |
| 4 | Nevada | $497 | $47,570 | below |
| 5 | Ohio | $513 | $47,010 | below |
| 6 | Michigan | $523 | $48,840 | below |
| 7 | Colorado | $557 | $59,340 | below |
| 8 | South Carolina | $564 | $45,950 | below |
| 9 | Oklahoma | $604 | $41,720 | below |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $611 | $50,990 | below |
| 11 | Georgia | $615 | $48,800 | below |
| 12 | North Carolina | $638 | $48,530 | below |
| 13 | Utah | $640 | $46,990 | below |
| 14 | Alabama | $645 | $45,710 | below |
| 15 | Illinois | $646 | $50,450 | below |
| 16 | South Dakota | $655 | $48,410 | below |
| 17 | Texas | $661 | $48,660 | below |
| 18 | Kansas | $670 | $47,010 | below |
| 19 | Florida | $683 | $48,520 | below |
| 20 | Nebraska | $710 | $48,810 | below |
| 21 | Arkansas | $774 | $43,830 | below |
This page compares states. For Virginia specifically — county-by-county carriers, plan data and enrollment help — that is published on Coverage by County. To check whether a plan actually covers your hospital, see Plans By City.
← Auto Mechanics in all states · All trades · All occupations
Put your ZIP code in and I will show you the carriers filing in your county, what the cheapest plan costs, and what you would actually pay after any help you qualify for. No cost, and you talk to me — not a call center.
Because Virginia operates a state-based exchange, its 2027 data is published separately from the federal landscape files. If you are an auto mechanic here, the national summaries are usually either late or simply wrong about this state.
Rate filings for 2027 point to roughly a 15% median increase nationally, from −1% at one end to 54% at the other. Virginia has not finalised, so treat exact local 2027 pricing as unavailable rather than unknown.
Enrollment opens November 1, 2026. Treat December 15 as the deadline: it guarantees January 1 cover on every marketplace, Virginia included. Conflicting end dates get quoted because a 2025 rule shortened the window and a court vacated it in June 2026, appeal pending — enrol by the 15th and the argument is irrelevant to you.
Virginia publishes its 2027 plan data on its own schedule rather than in the federal files, so the earlier you get a read on your options the less you are relying on national summaries that may not apply here.
Give me a ZIP and I will tell you three things:
The sticker price is rarely what Auto Mechanics in Virginia end up paying. Start with a ZIP and I will work out your actual number.