By Aijaz Alam
How much do plumbers make, and is demand growing?
The median annual wage for US plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters was $63,800 in May 2025, or $30.67 an hour, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned under $44,150 and the top 10% over $108,420. BLS projects jobs to grow 7% from 2025 to 2035, with about 42,000 openings a year.
- $63,800Median annual wage, US plumbers, pipefitters and steamfittersBLS OEWS, May 2025
- $30.67Median hourly wageBLS OEWS, May 2025
- 7%Projected job growth, 2025 to 2035BLS projections; 3% for all occupations
- 42,000Projected openings each yearBLS, average over 2025-2035
- 1,338,600People employed by plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractorsBLS CES, Aug 2026, preliminary; all staff
The numbers
The full breakdown
Plumber, pipefitter and steamfitter pay in the US, May 2025
| Measure | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earned less than | $44,150 |
| 25th percentile | $50,190 |
| Median | $63,800 |
| 75th percentile | $85,110 |
| Highest 10% earned more than | $108,420 |
| Mean (average) | $72,170 |
| Median hourly wage | $30.67 |
| Mean hourly wage | $34.70 |
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (SOC 47-2152); BLS does not publish plumbers alone. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: wage and salary workers only, self-employed workers are not included. The median for all US occupations was $50,980.
Plumber, pipefitter and steamfitter jobs and outlook, 2025 to 2035
| Measure | Number |
|---|---|
| Jobs in 2025 | 510,600 |
| Projected jobs in 2035 | 545,200 |
| Change, 2025 to 2035 | +34,500 |
| Projected growth, 2025 to 2035 | 7% |
| Projected openings each year | 42,000 |
| Growth, all construction trades workers | 6% |
| Growth, all occupations | 3% |
BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, as shown in the Occupational Outlook Handbook. Projections, not measured values.
Where plumbers work, and median pay there
| Employer | Share of jobs, 2025 | Median annual wage, May 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors | 65% | $63,010 |
| Self-employed workers | 8% | Not published |
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | 3% | $71,660 |
The largest employers listed by BLS in the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
States with the highest median pay for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, May 2025
| State | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $101,020 |
| Illinois | $99,950 |
| Oregon | $97,050 |
| Minnesota | $94,410 |
| Alaska | $93,920 |
| Massachusetts | $93,880 |
| Wisconsin | $81,210 |
| Washington | $81,030 |
| Michigan | $80,190 |
| Montana | $79,960 |
Top 10 of the 50 states and DC in the BLS OEWS profile. The national median is $63,800.
States with the most plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, May 2025
| State | Employment | Relative standard error |
|---|---|---|
| California | 47,660 | 5.1% |
| Texas | 44,090 | 4.5% |
| Florida | 29,260 | 5.6% |
| New York | 23,210 | 7.5% |
| Illinois | 16,750 | 6.5% |
| Ohio | 16,390 | 5.4% |
| North Carolina | 14,510 | 7.2% |
| Michigan | 14,120 | 6.0% |
| Virginia | 13,780 | 4.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 13,620 | 6.4% |
OEWS wage and salary employment (465,840 nationally), so self-employed plumbers are not counted.
People employed by US plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors (August each year)
| Month | All employees |
|---|---|
| Aug 2024 | 1,305,000 |
| Aug 2025 | 1,315,200 |
| Aug 2026 (preliminary) | 1,338,600 |
BLS Current Employment Statistics series CES2023822001, seasonally adjusted. One industry covers plumbing and HVAC firms together, and it counts every employee, not only plumbers, including commercial work.
Plumbers compared with the other home trades
| Occupation | Jobs 2025 | Projected growth 2025-35 | Openings per year | Median pay May 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC mechanics and installers | 440,900 | 11% | 40,600 | $61,010 |
| Electricians | 821,000 | 9% | 72,700 | $63,190 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters | 510,600 | 7% | 42,000 | $63,800 |
| All occupations | n/a | 3% | n/a | $50,980 |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025-35 edition.
Over time
Plumber, pipefitter and steamfitter median pay and employment, May 2021 to May 2025
| Year | Median annual wage | Median hourly wage | Employment (OEWS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $59,880 | $28.79 | 417,620 |
| May 2022 | $60,090 | $28.89 | 427,920 |
| May 2023 | $61,550 | $29.59 | 436,160 |
| May 2024 | $62,970 | $30.27 | 455,940 |
| May 2025 | $63,800 | $30.67 | 465,840 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, national estimates each May. Wages are in current dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
Why sources differ
Same question, different answers
| Number | When | Who measured | Why it differs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 510,600 | 2025 | BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (Employment Projections) | Jobs held by plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, including the self-employed (8% of the total). |
| 465,840 | May 2025 | BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics | Wage and salary workers only; the group its pay figures describe. |
| 1,338,600 | Aug 2026 | BLS Current Employment Statistics | Every employee of plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors, including HVAC technicians and office staff; preliminary. |
| $72,170 | May 2025 | BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics | Mean annual wage, pulled above the $63,800 median by high earners. |
Plumber counts differ because BLS measures three different things. The Occupational Outlook Handbook's 510,600 jobs for 2025 come from the Employment Projections program and include the self-employed, 8% of the total. The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey reports 465,840 for May 2025 because it counts wage and salary workers only, the same group as its pay figures. Both cover pipefitters and steamfitters too: BLS does not publish plumbers on their own. The Current Employment Statistics figure of 1,338,600 in August 2026 (preliminary) is an industry count, every employee of plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors, so it includes HVAC technicians, office staff and helpers, and it is not a count of plumbers. For pay, the mean of $72,170 is above the $63,800 median because the top tenth earn more than $108,420. Quote the median with its month and year.
What it means
How to use these numbers
Half of US plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earned more than $63,800 in May 2025, the highest median of the three big home trades and about $12,800 above the median for all occupations. The lowest tenth, which includes apprentices, earned under $44,150, and the top tenth over $108,420.
Pay depends heavily on place. The median is about $100,000 in the District of Columbia and Illinois and close to $97,000 in Oregon, while California and Texas have the most plumbers. Government plumbers earn a median $71,660, against $63,010 at contractors.
BLS projects 7% job growth from 2025 to 2035, more than double the 3% for all occupations, with about 42,000 openings a year, most of them to replace workers who retire or leave. Demand comes from new construction and from repairs to existing homes and buildings. The national median has risen about 6.5% since May 2021, before inflation, slower than HVAC pay. For a plumbing business, steady demand and a modest pool of new workers mean recruiting and keeping trained staff is as important as winning customers.
Method and sources
How it was measured
Method
- Publisher
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS, May 2025) for pay, the Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 projections) for jobs and outlook, and Current Employment Statistics for contractor employment
- Sample
- OEWS surveys employers about the jobs and wages of their employees; self-employed workers are not covered. The OOH job counts and projections come from the BLS Employment Projections program.
- Definition
- Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), including apprentices. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers earned more and half earned less.
- Released
- OEWS May 2025 estimates and the 2025-35 OOH edition, both in 2026; the OOH page was last modified 27 Aug 2026
- Checked at source
- 31 October 2026: OOH Plumbers page, OEWS profiles on data.bls.gov, the BLS public API, OEWS pages for May 2021 to May 2023 and the May 2024 national xlsx; contractor employment read through the BLS public API (August 2026 still the latest month)
- Next release
- BLS updates OEWS wages and the OOH once a year, and contractor employment every month
- Last changed
- 31 Oct 2026
- Data files
- CSV · JSON (stable links)
Sources
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, US Bureau of Labor Statistics Official data
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FAQ
More questions people ask
How much do plumbers make an hour?
The median was $30.67 an hour in May 2025, and the mean $34.70 (BLS OEWS, plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters).
Which state pays plumbers the most?
The District of Columbia, with a median of $101,020 in May 2025. Among the states, Illinois ($99,950) and Oregon ($97,050) lead.
Do plumbers make more than electricians?
Slightly. In May 2025 the median was $63,800 for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters and $63,190 for electricians. Electrician jobs are projected to grow faster, though: 9% to 2035 against 7%.
Why is demand for plumbers growing?
BLS expects demand from new construction and from maintaining and repairing plumbing in existing homes and buildings. Sprinklerfitter jobs should also grow because building codes in all states require fire suppression systems.
Every number on this page was checked at its original source (US Bureau of Labor Statistics). Free to cite with a link to this page.