Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

47-2152 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

Assemble, install, alter, and repair pipelines or pipe systems that carry water, steam, air, or other liquids or gases. May install heating and cooling equipment and mechanical control systems. Includes sprinkler fitters.


National estimates for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
Industry profile for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
Geographic profile for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

National estimates for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
427,920 1.1 % $ 31.34 $ 65,190 0.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 17.91 $ 22.42 $ 28.89 $ 37.96 $ 48.65
Annual Wage (2) $ 37,250 $ 46,630 $ 60,090 $ 78,960 $ 101,190


Industry profile for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Building Equipment Contractors 311,030 13.27 $ 31.76 $ 66,070
Utility System Construction 15,350 2.75 $ 30.54 $ 63,520
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 10,900 0.20 $ 29.44 $ 61,240
Nonresidential Building Construction 10,210 1.25 $ 34.71 $ 72,190
Employment Services 8,190 0.21 $ 25.16 $ 52,340

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Building Equipment Contractors 311,030 13.27 $ 31.76 $ 66,070
Natural Gas Distribution 6,790 6.19 $ 36.53 $ 75,980
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas 950 3.02 $ 38.30 $ 79,660
Water, Sewage and Other Systems 1,570 2.83 $ 24.93 $ 51,860
Utility System Construction 15,350 2.75 $ 30.54 $ 63,520

Top paying industries for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Spectator Sports 90 0.07 $ 47.64 $ 99,100
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 440 0.43 $ 45.11 $ 93,830
Educational Support Services 50 0.02 $ 43.53 $ 90,540
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 260 0.06 $ 43.35 $ 90,170
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 1,390 0.37 $ 43.03 $ 89,510


Geographic profile for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 40,260 2.28 0.79 $ 35.75 $ 74,360
Texas 37,980 2.92 1.01 $ 26.58 $ 55,280
Florida 26,930 2.92 1.01 $ 23.48 $ 48,830
New York 26,670 2.93 1.01 $ 40.10 $ 83,410
Pennsylvania 14,840 2.55 0.88 $ 32.93 $ 68,500


Map of location quotient of plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Louisiana 9,230 5.00 1.73 $ 28.30 $ 58,860
Rhode Island 2,170 4.53 1.56 $ 31.64 $ 65,800
Wyoming 1,110 4.13 1.43 $ 26.33 $ 54,760
Montana 2,020 4.12 1.42 $ 33.39 $ 69,450
Massachusetts 14,500 4.06 1.40 $ 39.43 $ 82,020


Map of annual mean wages of plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Illinois 14,320 2.43 0.84 $ 42.30 $ 87,980
Alaska 810 2.65 0.92 $ 41.74 $ 86,820
New Jersey 8,760 2.13 0.74 $ 40.46 $ 84,150
New York 26,670 2.93 1.01 $ 40.10 $ 83,410
Massachusetts 14,500 4.06 1.40 $ 39.43 $ 82,020



Map of employment of plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 25,180 2.74 0.95 $ 42.38 $ 88,140
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 11,830 1.94 0.67 $ 34.45 $ 71,650
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 11,190 2.53 0.88 $ 43.17 $ 89,790
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 11,180 4.13 1.43 $ 39.70 $ 82,580
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 10,490 2.76 0.95 $ 26.94 $ 56,040
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 9,680 3.17 1.10 $ 28.24 $ 58,740
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 8,070 3.63 1.26 $ 28.48 $ 59,230
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 7,750 2.56 0.89 $ 30.71 $ 63,880
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 7,510 2.71 0.94 $ 34.76 $ 72,290
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 6,340 2.42 0.84 $ 24.64 $ 51,250


Map of location quotient of plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kokomo, IN 430 12.47 4.31 $ 35.69 $ 74,230
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 1,010 11.13 3.85 $ 32.24 $ 67,070
Lake Charles, LA 950 10.07 3.48 $ 31.40 $ 65,320
Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS 1,340 8.99 3.11 $ 26.28 $ 54,650
Houma-Thibodaux, LA 680 8.74 3.02 $ 22.37 $ 46,540
Baton Rouge, LA 3,130 8.12 2.81 $ 31.49 $ 65,500
St. Cloud, MN 770 7.71 2.67 $ 32.96 $ 68,560
The Villages, FL 270 7.49 2.59 $ 22.07 $ 45,900
Homosassa Springs, FL 240 7.01 2.42 $ 20.20 $ 42,010
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 1,010 6.66 2.30 $ 30.39 $ 63,200


Map of annual mean wages of plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 2,330 2.08 0.72 $ 46.57 $ 96,870
Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ 400 6.56 2.27 $ 44.41 $ 92,380
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 5,200 2.17 0.75 $ 44.23 $ 92,000
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 11,190 2.53 0.88 $ 43.17 $ 89,790
Anchorage, AK 420 2.53 0.87 $ 43.11 $ 89,680
Rockford, IL 430 3.11 1.07 $ 42.42 $ 88,230
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 25,180 2.74 0.95 $ 42.38 $ 88,140
Champaign-Urbana, IL 340 3.30 1.14 $ 41.67 $ 86,680
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 5,880 2.89 1.00 $ 41.46 $ 86,230
Kennewick-Richland, WA 660 5.41 1.87 $ 41.24 $ 85,790

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 1,090 2.84 0.98 $ 24.06 $ 50,040
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 890 4.73 1.63 $ 27.53 $ 57,260
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 890 3.54 1.22 $ 20.80 $ 43,270
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 850 4.01 1.39 $ 27.94 $ 58,110
Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 790 4.03 1.39 $ 25.20 $ 52,420

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 660 5.34 1.84 $ 27.85 $ 57,940
Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area 350 5.20 1.80 $ 26.43 $ 54,970
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 290 4.81 1.66 $ 34.76 $ 72,290
East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area 300 4.78 1.65 $ 37.15 $ 77,260
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 890 4.73 1.63 $ 27.53 $ 57,260

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 250 2.41 0.83 $ 40.71 $ 84,680
South Illinois nonmetropolitan area 90 0.99 0.34 $ 40.48 $ 84,190
Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area 350 2.74 0.95 $ 39.43 $ 82,010
East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area 300 4.78 1.65 $ 37.15 $ 77,260
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 250 2.59 0.89 $ 36.51 $ 75,940


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023