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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

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)
417,620 1.4 % $ 30.46 $ 63,350 0.7 %

Percentile wage estimates for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 17.65 $ 22.40 $ 28.79 $ 37.45 $ 48.04
Annual Wage (2) $ 36,700 $ 46,590 $ 59,880 $ 77,890 $ 99,920

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 310,420 13.83 $ 30.72 $ 63,900
Utility System Construction 14,910 2.76 $ 30.08 $ 62,570
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 10,640 0.20 $ 27.57 $ 57,340
Nonresidential Building Construction 10,120 1.30 $ 33.20 $ 69,060
Employment Services 6,880 0.20 $ 23.70 $ 49,290

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 310,420 13.83 $ 30.72 $ 63,900
Natural Gas Distribution 6,000 5.47 $ 35.22 $ 73,260
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas 960 3.17 $ 37.72 $ 78,450
Utility System Construction 14,910 2.76 $ 30.08 $ 62,570
Ship and Boat Building 3,790 2.62 $ 26.98 $ 56,120

Top paying industries for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 380 0.37 $ 43.97 $ 91,450
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 1,070 0.28 $ 43.87 $ 91,240
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 120 0.04 $ 43.12 $ 89,700
Other Pipeline Transportation 60 0.75 $ 42.51 $ 88,410
Technical and Trade Schools 120 0.09 $ 42.42 $ 88,240

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 2021


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 40,400 2.44 0.82 $ 34.62 $ 72,000
Texas 36,920 3.02 1.02 $ 25.23 $ 52,470
New York 25,800 2.98 1.00 $ 37.26 $ 77,490
Florida 23,800 2.77 0.93 $ 23.13 $ 48,120
Illinois 15,790 2.81 0.95 $ 41.44 $ 86,200


Map of location quotient of plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters by state, May 2021


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)
Rhode Island 2,240 4.90 1.65 $ 31.29 $ 65,090
Nevada 6,160 4.78 1.61 $ 31.13 $ 64,750
Louisiana 8,490 4.73 1.60 $ 27.42 $ 57,040
Hawaii 2,330 4.26 1.44 $ 35.02 $ 72,830
Wyoming 1,090 4.20 1.42 $ 25.77 $ 53,610


Map of annual mean wages of plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters by state, May 2021


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 15,790 2.81 0.95 $ 41.44 $ 86,200
Alaska 940 3.19 1.07 $ 41.01 $ 85,300
Massachusetts 12,920 3.81 1.28 $ 40.43 $ 84,090
New Jersey 9,740 2.53 0.85 $ 39.78 $ 82,740
Oregon 4,980 2.73 0.92 $ 39.17 $ 81,470



Map of employment of plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters by area, May 2021


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 25,420 2.93 0.99 $ 39.86 $ 82,900
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 12,630 2.21 0.75 $ 32.17 $ 66,910
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 11,780 2.78 0.94 $ 42.88 $ 89,190
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 10,580 2.95 0.99 $ 25.01 $ 52,010
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 9,590 3.71 1.25 $ 41.03 $ 85,340
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 9,330 3.22 1.09 $ 27.11 $ 56,380
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 7,920 3.74 1.26 $ 27.19 $ 56,560
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 7,890 2.69 0.91 $ 30.44 $ 63,310
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 6,960 2.62 0.88 $ 34.40 $ 71,540
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 5,940 2.42 0.82 $ 23.78 $ 49,460


Map of location quotient of plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters by area, May 2021


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 470 12.93 4.36 $ 34.23 $ 71,210
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 970 11.27 3.80 $ 31.75 $ 66,040
Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS 1,300 8.95 3.02 $ 24.99 $ 51,970
Appleton, WI 1,010 8.59 2.90 $ 36.71 $ 76,350
Lake Charles, LA 720 7.97 2.69 $ 31.75 $ 66,050
Houma-Thibodaux, LA 620 7.73 2.61 $ 22.50 $ 46,810
Baton Rouge, LA 2,810 7.66 2.58 $ 30.30 $ 63,030
Kennewick-Richland, WA 890 7.63 2.58 $ 40.29 $ 83,800
St. Cloud, MN 690 7.00 2.36 $ 33.60 $ 69,890
Fond du Lac, WI 300 6.90 2.33 $ 33.48 $ 69,640