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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

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)
417,440 1.2 % $ 29.37 $ 61,100 0.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 16.09 $ 20.35 $ 27.08 $ 36.24 $ 47.59
Annual Wage (2) $ 33,460 $ 42,330 $ 56,330 $ 75,370 $ 98,990

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 302,880 13.85 $ 29.43 $ 61,210
Utility System Construction 16,720 3.00 $ 28.71 $ 59,720
Nonresidential Building Construction 13,600 1.68 $ 31.56 $ 65,640
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 9,900 0.18 $ 29.48 $ 61,320
Employment Services 7,090 0.22 $ 25.78 $ 53,630

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 302,880 13.85 $ 29.43 $ 61,210
Natural Gas Distribution 4,530 4.20 $ 34.16 $ 71,050
Ship and Boat Building 5,670 4.13 $ 26.11 $ 54,310
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas 1,050 3.40 $ 31.90 $ 66,350
Utility System Construction 16,720 3.00 $ 28.71 $ 59,720

Top paying industries for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Rail Transportation 290 0.13 $ 40.14 $ 83,480
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 1,250 0.33 $ 39.08 $ 81,290
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 430 0.08 $ 37.00 $ 76,970
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 560 0.51 $ 36.28 $ 75,470
Educational Support Services 60 0.03 $ 35.48 $ 73,800

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.





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 43,540 2.65 0.88 $ 33.21 $ 69,070
Texas 39,810 3.29 1.10 $ 24.44 $ 50,840
New York 26,310 3.03 1.01 $ 34.50 $ 71,770
Florida 25,610 3.03 1.01 $ 21.92 $ 45,590
Illinois 16,520 2.93 0.98 $ 42.25 $ 87,880




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 8,710 4.84 1.61 $ 27.95 $ 58,140
Montana 2,090 4.59 1.53 $ 27.26 $ 56,690
Colorado 10,460 4.06 1.35 $ 27.14 $ 56,460
Hawaii 2,270 3.95 1.32 $ 32.52 $ 67,640
Utah 5,840 3.92 1.31 $ 26.00 $ 54,070




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)
Alaska 1,130 3.82 1.27 $ 42.38 $ 88,150
Illinois 16,520 2.93 0.98 $ 42.25 $ 87,880
Massachusetts 11,750 3.51 1.17 $ 38.88 $ 80,860
Minnesota 10,480 3.87 1.29 $ 36.58 $ 76,080
New Jersey 8,290 2.19 0.73 $ 36.46 $ 75,840





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 25,650 2.90 0.97 $ 35.78 $ 74,420
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 14,320 2.46 0.82 $ 29.04 $ 60,410
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 12,560 2.88 0.96 $ 44.20 $ 91,940
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 11,400 3.18 1.06 $ 24.37 $ 50,690
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 9,540 3.21 1.07 $ 26.71 $ 55,560
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 8,490 3.26 1.09 $ 40.46 $ 84,160
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 7,850 2.60 0.87 $ 27.93 $ 58,100
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 7,360 3.49 1.16 $ 25.87 $ 53,810
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 6,880 3.72 1.24 $ 39.45 $ 82,060
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 6,710 2.49 0.83 $ 33.19 $ 69,030




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)
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 1,070 12.32 4.11 $ 32.02 $ 66,600
Kokomo, IN 370 10.23 3.41 $ 35.26 $ 73,340
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 1,430 9.38 3.13 $ 29.70 $ 61,780
Baton Rouge, LA 3,230 8.68 2.89 $ 29.38 $ 61,100
Grand Junction, CO 490 8.36 2.78 $ 22.00 $ 45,750
Barnstable Town, MA 760 8.16 2.72 $ 31.45 $ 65,410
St. George, UT 550 8.04 2.68 $ 24.02 $ 49,960
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 1,700 7.62 2.54 $ 33.18 $ 69,020
Kennewick-Richland, WA 870 7.61 2.54 $ 37.28 $ 77,540
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 5,380 7.48 2.49 $ 23.91 $ 49,730