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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

47-2151 Pipelayers

Lay pipe for storm or sanitation sewers, drains, and water mains. Perform any combination of the following tasks: grade trenches or culverts, position pipe, or seal joints. Excludes “Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers” (51-4121).


National estimates for Pipelayers
Industry profile for Pipelayers
Geographic profile for Pipelayers

National estimates for Pipelayers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Pipelayers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
34,840 3.9 % $ 25.41 $ 52,840 1.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for Pipelayers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 17.22 $ 19.07 $ 22.76 $ 29.08 $ 38.05
Annual Wage (2) $ 35,820 $ 39,660 $ 47,330 $ 60,480 $ 79,150


Industry profile for Pipelayers:

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

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Pipelayers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Utility System Construction 13,770 2.39 $ 25.52 $ 53,080
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 6,630 0.12 $ 24.06 $ 50,040
Other Specialty Trade Contractors 4,670 0.60 $ 25.46 $ 52,950
Building Equipment Contractors 3,540 0.15 $ 27.31 $ 56,800
Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction 2,270 0.62 $ 24.06 $ 50,050

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Pipelayers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Utility System Construction 13,770 2.39 $ 25.52 $ 53,080
Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction 2,270 0.62 $ 24.06 $ 50,050
Other Specialty Trade Contractors 4,670 0.60 $ 25.46 $ 52,950
Land Subdivision 200 0.58 $ 19.99 $ 41,590
Water, Sewage and Other Systems 310 0.53 $ 23.72 $ 49,340

Top paying industries for Pipelayers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Pipeline Transportation 40 0.50 $ 36.02 $ 74,920
Natural Gas Distribution 230 0.20 $ 34.43 $ 71,620
Nonresidential Building Construction 790 0.09 $ 31.47 $ 65,460
Building Equipment Contractors 3,540 0.15 $ 27.31 $ 56,800
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 60 (7) $ 27.11 $ 56,400


Geographic profile for Pipelayers:

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



Map of employment of pipelayers by state, May 2023


States with the highest employment level in Pipelayers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 6,340 0.47 2.04 $ 21.38 $ 44,470
Florida 3,750 0.39 1.71 $ 21.19 $ 44,080
North Carolina 3,000 0.62 2.72 $ 20.85 $ 43,370
Georgia 2,180 0.46 1.99 $ 21.32 $ 44,350
California 1,750 0.10 0.43 $ 35.44 $ 73,710


Map of location quotient of pipelayers by state, May 2023


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

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nebraska 690 0.69 3.00 $ 24.37 $ 50,680
North Carolina 3,000 0.62 2.72 $ 20.85 $ 43,370
South Dakota 220 0.50 2.17 $ 22.62 $ 47,050
Texas 6,340 0.47 2.04 $ 21.38 $ 44,470
Georgia 2,180 0.46 1.99 $ 21.32 $ 44,350


Map of annual mean wages of pipelayers by state, May 2023


Top paying states for Pipelayers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York 240 0.03 0.11 $ 42.39 $ 88,180
New Jersey 1,050 0.25 1.09 $ 40.61 $ 84,470
Minnesota 610 0.21 0.92 $ 38.13 $ 79,300
Nevada 500 0.34 1.46 $ 36.37 $ 75,650
Wisconsin 560 0.19 0.84 $ 36.34 $ 75,590



Map of employment of pipelayers by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Pipelayers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,630 0.41 1.79 $ 21.66 $ 45,060
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 1,630 0.51 2.23 $ 21.25 $ 44,200
Austin-Round Rock, TX 1,090 0.88 3.85 $ 22.42 $ 46,640
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,070 0.38 1.66 $ 22.73 $ 47,280
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 920 0.10 0.42 $ 44.11 $ 91,740
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 900 0.69 2.99 $ 22.09 $ 45,950
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 900 0.43 1.88 $ 37.59 $ 78,200
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 790 0.34 1.50 $ 28.11 $ 58,470
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 740 0.27 1.19 $ 22.54 $ 46,880
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 620 0.10 0.44 $ 37.94 $ 78,920


Map of location quotient of pipelayers by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Pipelayers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Jacksonville, NC 100 1.84 8.02 $ 17.68 $ 36,780
Midland, TX 140 1.19 5.17 $ 22.70 $ 47,210
Jackson, TN 70 1.08 4.70 $ 26.80 $ 55,740
The Villages, FL 40 1.03 4.48 $ 20.46 $ 42,550
Grand Island, NE 40 0.94 4.08 $ 21.45 $ 44,620
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD 80 0.90 3.94 $ 23.92 $ 49,760
Rocky Mount, NC 50 0.89 3.88 $ 18.81 $ 39,130
Austin-Round Rock, TX 1,090 0.88 3.85 $ 22.42 $ 46,640
Greeley, CO 100 0.86 3.76 $ 23.68 $ 49,250
Asheville, NC 160 0.80 3.50 $ 20.94 $ 43,560


Map of annual mean wages of pipelayers by area, May 2023


Top paying metropolitan areas for Pipelayers:

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 920 0.10 0.42 $ 44.11 $ 91,740
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 410 0.21 0.93 $ 38.96 $ 81,040
Madison, WI 40 0.10 0.45 $ 38.73 $ 80,560
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV 330 0.31 1.34 $ 38.44 $ 79,960
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI 160 0.20 0.86 $ 38.30 $ 79,660
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 620 0.10 0.44 $ 37.94 $ 78,920
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 900 0.43 1.88 $ 37.59 $ 78,200
Green Bay, WI 60 0.35 1.52 $ 37.41 $ 77,810
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 250 0.15 0.66 $ 34.96 $ 72,710
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 30 0.08 0.33 $ 34.84 $ 72,460

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Pipelayers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 210 0.83 3.60 $ 18.41 $ 38,280
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 210 0.83 3.63 $ 19.02 $ 39,560
Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 170 0.86 3.76 $ 20.67 $ 42,990
South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 170 1.15 5.01 $ 23.48 $ 48,830
North Georgia nonmetropolitan area 160 0.83 3.61 $ 19.54 $ 40,640

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Pipelayers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 170 1.15 5.01 $ 23.48 $ 48,830
North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 130 1.09 4.76 $ 18.49 $ 38,460
West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 140 1.08 4.72 $ 20.09 $ 41,790
Northeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 90 0.98 4.29 $ 18.48 $ 38,430
South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 110 0.98 4.25 $ 20.19 $ 41,990

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Pipelayers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 50 0.44 1.90 $ 36.50 $ 75,920
South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 50 0.26 1.11 $ 36.48 $ 75,870
Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 40 0.21 0.93 $ 33.50 $ 69,680
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area 60 0.50 2.18 $ 31.74 $ 66,030
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 70 0.22 0.97 $ 31.23 $ 64,960


About May 2023 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.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(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 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024