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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2016

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 sprinklerfitters.

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
411,870 1.2 % $26.94 $56,030 0.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $14.63 $18.53 $24.74 $33.06 $43.53
Annual Wage (2) $30,430 $38,530 $51,450 $68,770 $90,530

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

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

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Building Equipment Contractors 300,510 15.09 $27.10 $56,380
Nonresidential Building Construction 14,720 1.94 $28.17 $58,580
Utility System Construction 14,610 2.98 $25.13 $52,260
Local Government (OES Designation) 11,350 0.21 $26.39 $54,890
Employment Services 5,890 0.16 $23.13 $48,110

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Building Equipment Contractors 300,510 15.09 $27.10 $56,380
Ship and Boat Building 5,460 4.01 $23.98 $49,890
Natural Gas Distribution 4,480 3.96 $31.35 $65,210
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas 1,160 3.94 $28.03 $58,290
Water, Sewage and Other Systems 1,500 3.04 $23.82 $49,540

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Metal Ore Mining 250 0.62 $38.78 $80,670
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 620 0.16 $35.91 $74,690
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 470 0.07 $35.67 $74,190
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 450 0.09 $35.35 $73,520
Spectator Sports 90 0.07 $34.59 $71,960

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

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





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 43,040 2.70 0.92 $28.23 $58,720
Texas 40,530 3.45 1.18 $22.16 $46,100
New York 28,320 3.11 1.06 $36.90 $76,750
Florida 23,060 2.80 0.96 $19.56 $40,690
Illinois 15,860 2.69 0.92 $36.31 $75,530




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 1,770 5.47 1.86 $34.15 $71,030
Louisiana 9,980 5.19 1.77 $24.24 $50,430
Wyoming 1,310 4.74 1.62 $23.41 $48,690
Maryland 11,130 4.21 1.44 $26.68 $55,490
Utah 5,710 4.15 1.42 $24.37 $50,690




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York 28,320 3.11 1.06 $36.90 $76,750
Illinois 15,860 2.69 0.92 $36.31 $75,530
Oregon 5,270 2.94 1.00 $35.56 $73,960
District of Columbia 890 1.26 0.43 $34.19 $71,120
Alaska 1,770 5.47 1.86 $34.15 $71,030





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 18,690 2.84 0.97 $36.68 $76,300
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 13,000 4.43 1.51 $24.50 $50,960
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division 8,830 2.43 0.83 $38.71 $80,510
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 8,690 3.58 1.22 $21.04 $43,770
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 8,610 2.04 0.70 $27.71 $57,630
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 7,020 2.82 0.96 $26.74 $55,620
Nassau County-Suffolk County, NY Metropolitan Division 5,980 4.65 1.59 $45.55 $94,730
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 5,700 2.23 0.76 $22.52 $46,830
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 5,370 4.00 1.36 $26.03 $54,140
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 5,310 2.78 0.95 $35.48 $73,800