How much do plumbers make?

Plumber salary 2026 · BLS occupation: Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) · Updated October 28, 2026

Answer

Plumbers in the US earned a median of $63,800 a year ($30.67 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned $50,190 to $85,110.

Median annual pay: $63,800; Mean $72,170
Median hourly pay: $30.67; Mean $34.70
Typical range (10th–90th): $44.1K–$108K; $44,150 to $108,420
US jobs: 465,840; +6.8% projected, 2025–35

BLS OEWS, May 2025, released April 30, 2026. Wages include tips, commissions and production bonuses but not overtime premiums, shift differentials, other bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers are not included. Methodology

How to become a plumber: steps, years and cost · Best-paying state after cost of living: Illinois

Plumber pay range

Annual wages, May 2025

10th percentile$44,150
25th percentile$50,190
Median$63,800
75th percentile$85,110
90th percentile$108,420

Half of all plumbers earned more than $63,800 and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% made under $44,150; the top 10% made over $108,420. The middle 50%, from the 25th to the 75th percentile, ran from $50,190 to $85,110.

These percentiles describe everyone in the occupation at one time. They are not pay steps by years of experience: they mix new and senior workers, different states, employers and hours. Pay generally rises with experience, credentials and specialization, but BLS does not publish pay by experience.

Percentile	Annual	Hourly	Monthly
10th	$44,150	$21.22	$3,679
25th	$50,190	$24.13	$4,183
Median (50th)	$63,800	$30.67	$5,317
75th	$85,110	$40.92	$7,093
90th	$108,420	$52.13	$9,035
Mean (average)	$72,170	$34.70	$6,014

Plumber salary by state

Median annual pay; cost of living from BEA regional price parities 2024

Median annual pay for plumbers by state. Darker tiles pay more.

Highest-paying states

1. District of Columbia $101,020
2. Illinois $99,950
3. Oregon $97,050
4. Minnesota $94,410
5. Alaska $93,920

Lowest-paying states

51. Arkansas $48,660
50. South Dakota $51,620
49. Idaho $52,380
48. Florida $52,910
47. South Carolina $53,940

Best after cost of living: Illinois. Its median of $99,950 is worth about $99,992 at national-average prices, more than in District of Columbia once prices are counted.


Alabama	$58,670	40	$66,053	28	$28.21	6,950	3.29
Alaska	$93,920	5	$91,755	5	$45.15	1,200	3.70
Arizona	$62,070	33	$61,653	41	$29.84	11,810	3.65
Arkansas	$48,660	51	$55,972	49	$23.39	3,370	2.59
California	$72,830	17	$65,779	31	$35.01	47,660	2.62
Colorado	$63,240	30	$61,367	43	$30.40	10,080	3.51
Connecticut	$77,280	14	$74,587	13	$37.16	5,410	3.19
Delaware	$64,720	23	$64,845	32	$31.11	1,590	3.28
District of Columbia	$101,020	1	$91,919	4	$48.57	1,010	1.43
Florida	$52,910	48	$51,163	51	$25.44	29,260	2.95
Georgia	$57,200	43	$59,402	46	$27.50	8,930	1.83
Hawaii	$78,060	12	$70,995	22	$37.53	2,500	3.99
Idaho	$52,380	49	$54,852	50	$25.18	3,090	3.60
Illinois	$99,950	2	$99,992	1	$48.05	16,750	2.75
Indiana	$76,320	16	$81,775	10	$36.69	11,280	3.52
Iowa	$63,890	26	$72,799	15	$30.72	5,730	3.68
Kansas	$65,220	22	$72,412	16	$31.36	4,590	3.19
Kentucky	$64,160	24	$71,163	21	$30.84	6,360	3.18
Louisiana	$63,680	27	$72,194	17	$30.62	8,360	4.32
Maine	$64,000	25	$65,945	30	$30.77	2,710	4.23
Maryland	$65,400	21	$62,310	39	$31.44	11,420	4.13
Massachusetts	$93,880	6	$88,770	6	$45.14	13,460	3.70
Michigan	$80,190	9	$83,343	9	$38.56	14,120	3.21
Minnesota	$94,410	4	$95,730	2	$45.39	10,720	3.63
Mississippi	$55,480	46	$63,805	34	$26.67	3,360	2.89
Missouri	$66,790	20	$73,543	14	$32.11	8,310	2.83
Montana	$79,960	10	$84,484	8	$38.44	1,860	3.64
Nebraska	$60,970	37	$67,667	25	$29.31	4,110	4.01
Nevada	$61,610	35	$61,623	42	$29.62	5,370	3.46
New Hampshire	$66,810	19	$64,139	33	$32.12	1,950	2.86
New Jersey	$78,240	11	$71,908	18	$37.61	8,750	2.04
New Mexico	$61,440	36	$66,629	27	$29.54	2,830	3.25
New York	$77,490	13	$71,803	19	$37.26	23,210	2.40
North Carolina	$57,080	44	$60,514	44	$27.44	14,510	2.94
North Dakota	$63,560	28	$71,449	20	$30.56	1,620	3.77
Ohio	$63,330	29	$68,263	24	$30.45	16,390	2.95
Oklahoma	$57,970	42	$65,993	29	$27.87	6,050	3.54
Oregon	$97,050	3	$93,894	3	$46.66	5,370	2.73
Pennsylvania	$68,080	18	$69,774	23	$32.73	13,620	2.25
Rhode Island	$76,470	15	$74,765	12	$36.77	1,820	3.64
South Carolina	$53,940	47	$57,537	48	$25.93	5,770	2.50
South Dakota	$51,620	50	$58,271	47	$24.82	1,760	3.84
Tennessee	$58,600	41	$63,786	35	$28.17	9,270	2.83
Texas	$59,840	39	$61,654	40	$28.77	44,090	3.13
Utah	$61,900	34	$62,611	38	$29.76	7,030	4.05
Vermont	$62,170	32	$63,466	37	$29.89	980	3.23
Virginia	$60,470	38	$59,810	45	$29.07	13,780	3.35
Washington	$81,030	8	$75,720	11	$38.96	12,470	3.51
West Virginia	$56,980	45	$63,667	36	$27.39	1,830	2.61
Wisconsin	$81,210	7	$86,306	7	$39.04	10,210	3.47
Wyoming	$62,410	31	$67,331	26	$30.01	1,140	4.05

BLS OEWS, May 2025, state estimates. Adjusted pay = median ÷ (state price level ÷ 100), using BEA regional price parities for 2024; it ignores taxes. Figures for states with few workers in the occupation have larger survey errors and can change sharply from one year to the next. “—” means BLS did not publish the figure. State names link to each state’s highest-paying jobs.

Best-paying metro areas for plumbers

384 metro areas with published pay

Highest median pay
Metro area	Median	Adjusted	Jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$107,560	$97,407	3,830
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$103,380	$99,792	12,750
Bellingham, WA	$102,750	$99,435	540
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$101,630	$96,955	6,730
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$101,010	$95,816	4,600
Kennewick-Richland, WA	$97,130	$97,053	840
Bloomington, IN	$96,980	$101,994	320
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$96,760	$89,372	9,200
Fairbanks-College, AK	$96,670	$93,665	200
Champaign-Urbana, IL	$95,530	$103,048	390

Most jobs
Metro area	Jobs	Median	Adjusted
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	21,040	$78,610	$69,836
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	15,690	$71,110	$62,616
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	12,750	$103,380	$99,792
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	11,980	$61,250	$59,414
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	10,980	$61,300	$62,152
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	9,420	$71,860	$65,997
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	9,270	$63,750	$61,704
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	9,200	$96,760	$89,372
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	7,150	$74,860	$72,996
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	6,730	$101,630	$96,955

BLS OEWS, May 2025, metropolitan statistical areas; adjusted with BEA metro price parities (2024).

What moves plumber pay: employers and settings

Where you work counts for more than anything else. Plumbers in the District of Columbia earn a median of $101,020, with Illinois at $99,950, Oregon at $97,050, Minnesota at $94,410, and Alaska at $93,920. The lowest are Idaho at $52,380, South Dakota at $51,620, and Arkansas at $48,660. Illinois stays on top after adjusting for living costs, at $99,992.

Employer type matters less than you might expect, because 73% of these workers are at building equipment contractors, where the median is $63,110. Nonresidential building construction pays more ($71,220), which reflects commercial and industrial pipe work. Government jobs, mostly maintaining public buildings and water systems, pay a little more than private employers: $76,170 in the federal government, $66,960 in state government and $66,640 in local government, against $63,530 for private employers.

The overall range runs from $44,150, the 10th percentile, to $108,420, the 90th. That spread reflects state, employer and type of work, not just time in the trade. Overtime, emergency calls and running your own shop can push earnings up, while slow construction seasons pull them down.

Where plumbers work
Industry	Share of jobs	Median pay
Building Equipment Contractors	73%	$63,110
Utility System Construction	3.2%	$61,400
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals	2.5%	$66,200
Nonresidential Building Construction	2.3%	$71,220
Other Specialty Trade Contractors	1.4%	$63,300
Residential Building Construction	1.4%	$63,310

Private employers and government
Employer type	Jobs	Median pay
Private employers	442,870	$63,530
Federal government (incl. Postal Service)	3,950	$76,170
State government (incl. schools and hospitals)	4,270	$66,960
Local government (incl. schools and hospitals)	14,750	$66,640

BLS OEWS, May 2025, national industry-specific and ownership estimates (4-digit NAICS).

Plumber pay over time

Median annual pay, 2015–2025

$63.8K $50.6K

2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Nominal median (dollars of each year)In May 2025 dollars (adjusted with CPI-U)

The median rose from $50,620 in 2015 to $63,800 in 2025, up 26% in nominal dollars. After inflation, the 2015 median is worth $68,428 in May 2025 dollars, so real pay fell 7% over the period.

BLS OEWS, May 2025 and earlier May releases; inflation from the CPI-U, US city average, May of each year.

What plumbers do

Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters put in and fix the pipe systems that carry water, gas, waste, steam and chemicals. A residential or service plumber clears drains, swaps water heaters, replaces broken supply lines and sets toilets, tubs and dishwashers. On new construction, plumbers rough in water and drain lines before the walls close, then come back to set fixtures and pressure-test the system for the inspector.

Pipefitters and steamfitters work mostly in factories, power plants, hospitals and large commercial buildings, where crews install heavy steel pipe that carries high-pressure steam, gases or process fluids. Sprinkler fitters, gasfitters and pipe welders are part of the same trade.

Most plumbers work for plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors, and about 8% are self-employed. The job means crawlspaces, trenches, ladders, outdoor work in bad weather, and on-call shifts for burst pipes and backed-up sewers. Journey-level plumbers read blueprints, follow local codes and direct apprentices and helpers.

A typical day

Read blueprints and the local plumbing code to plan where pipe, vents and fixtures go
Cut, thread, solder, press or glue pipe and fittings to length
Run water supply, drain and gas lines through walls, floors and trenches
Fill new lines with water or air and watch the gauges to find leaks
Track down clogs, leaks and low pressure, then repair or replace the failed part
Install water heaters, toilets, sinks and other fixtures and appliances
Price jobs for customers and show apprentices how to do the work

Also called: pipefitter, steamfitter, journeyman plumber, master plumber, drain technician, fire sprinkler service technician, pipe welder, plumbing installer.

How to become a plumber

Full guide

Most plumbers learn the trade in a paid 4- to 5-year apprenticeship after high school, then pass a state or local exam to become a licensed journeyman plumber. Master plumber status takes several more years of experience and another exam.

Typical time: 4-5 years; Fastest: About 4 years
Minimum education: High school diploma or GED, followed by an apprenticeship
License: Required in most states and in some cities and counties; rules and exams differ by jurisdiction
Typical training cost: $80–$4.3K; See the guide for what it includes

Read the step-by-step guide to becoming a plumber: each step with its time and cost, education options, exams, licensing and advancement.

Is it worth it? Training cost against pay

Compare careers

Training time: 4-5 years; Typical path in our guide
Training cost: $80–$4.3K; Tuition and exam fees, before aid
Median pay: $63,800; $12,820 above the all-jobs median ($50,980)
Cost vs. one year's pay: 0–7%; Training cost as a share of a year at the median

Once qualified, the pay difference over the typical US job at the median ($12,820 a year before tax) would repay the training cost in less than a year after training ends (4-5 years in our guide). This is a rough guide: it ignores taxes, financial aid, interest, earnings given up while training and how pay changes over a career. How we calculate ROI.

Job outlook for plumbers

BLS Employment Projections 2025–35

Projected growth: +6.8%; All occupations +3.5%
Jobs in 2025: 510,600; 545,200 projected for 2035
Openings each year: 42,000; New jobs plus replacements
Self-employed: 8%; Not in the pay figures above

BLS projects jobs for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters to grow 6.8% from 2025 to 2035, from 510,600 to 545,200. That is roughly twice the 3.5% average for all jobs. The bigger number is openings: about 42,000 a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers. Demand comes from new buildings and from repairs to the pipes already in homes and businesses, which do not stop in a downturn the way new construction does. Fire codes that require sprinkler systems in all states add work for sprinkler fitters.

Related careers and their pay

HVAC Technician$61,010
Construction Worker$47,120
Electrician$63,190
Carpenter$60,580
Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$42,360

Related occupations from O*NET 31.0; median annual pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.

Plumber salary FAQ

How much do plumbers make an hour?

The median hourly wage for plumbers was $30.67 in May 2025. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $21.22 an hour and the highest-paid 10% more than $52.13. Hourly figures are BLS estimates for all workers in the occupation, full-time and part-time.

Which state pays plumbers the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median pay for plumbers, $101,020 a year, followed by Illinois ($99,950) and Oregon ($97,050). After adjusting for each state's price level, Illinois comes out ahead at about $99,992 in national-average dollars.

Do plumbers make six figures?

Some do: based on the BLS percentiles, between 10% and 25% of plumbers earn more than $100,000 a year. The median is $63,800, and the top 10% earn more than $108,420. Pay generally rises with experience, specialization and location.

What is the difference between a plumber and a pipefitter?

Plumbers mostly work on water, drain and gas systems in homes and businesses: fixtures, water heaters, sewer lines and repairs. Pipefitters and steamfitters work mainly in industrial and large commercial settings, installing heavy pipe that carries steam, chemicals or gases under high pressure, often with welding. BLS counts them as one occupation, and United Association apprenticeships offer separate tracks for plumbing, pipefitting, steamfitting and sprinkler fitting.

Do plumbing apprentices get paid?

Yes. A registered plumbing apprenticeship is a paid job. You work for a contractor during the day and attend classes, usually at night or in blocks. The United Association says its apprentices earn wages and benefits from the start, with raises as they move through each year. Apprentice pay starts well below journey-level pay and rises as you complete each stage.

Do government plumbers earn more than plumbers at contractors?

In our data, slightly. Federal government plumbers have a median of $76,170 (state government $66,960 and local government $66,640) compared with $63,530 at private employers. Public jobs are fewer and usually involve maintaining buildings, schools or water systems instead of new construction. Steady hours and benefits can matter as much as the base pay difference.

Sources

Data updated October 28, 2026 · Text checked against its sources October 28, 2026

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released April 30, 2026, SOC 47-2152
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035, released September 2026
O*NET 31.0 Database (47-2152.00), U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0; tasks rewritten by Careers and Salaries
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state and metro area, 2024
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, May values
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study and institution data, most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked October 28, 2026
Apprentice, United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters · checked October 28, 2026
Apprenticeship (Career Paths), United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters · checked October 28, 2026
Journeyman Plumber, Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners · checked October 28, 2026
License Finder, CareerOneStop, U.S. Department of Labor · checked October 28, 2026
CPD Q&A, American Society of Plumbing Engineers · checked October 28, 2026

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