Average Plumber Salary
Plumber salaries average $57,000 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average hourly pay is $27 per hour. Expected wages vary depending on your experience level, your specific industry, the demand for plumbers in your area and the average rate of pay in your state.
| Plumber Pay Scale | ||
|---|---|---|
| Skill Level | Hourly | Yearly |
| Apprentice (starting) | $15 – $20 | $20,000 – $45,000 |
| Jouneyman | $20 – $30 | $40,000 – $55,000 |
| Master | $30 – $45+ | $55,000 – $90,000+ |
How much do plumbers make an hour?
Plumbers make an average of $15 to more than $45 per hour depending on various factors. Apprentices or entry-level plumbers make $15 to $20, while journeymen make $20 to $30 and masters can make $30 to over $45 per hour.
How much do plumbers make in a year?
Annually, plumbers make an average of $30,000 to over $90,000. Apprentices can make between $30,000 and $45,000, while journeymen can make $45,000 to $55,000 and masters can make $55,000 to more than $90,000.
Plumber Wages
When broken into percentiles, plumbers are making:
$31,000 per year
$39,000 per year
$53,000 per year
$70,000 per year
$92,000 per year
Plumbers in Guam are in the 10th percentile, with an average of $34,000 per year. Those in Hawaii are in the 75th percentile with $79,000 per year. Plumbers in Nassau and Suffolk County of NY are in the 90th percentile at $96,000 per year.
Wages also vary from one industry to another. Commercial plumbers, for example, average $29 per hour compared to residential electricians at $27 per hour. Those in natural gas distribution and pipeline transportation make $30 to $32 per hour and $63,000 to $66,000 per year. Those in aerospace products and part manufacturing make an average of $36 per hour and $75,000 per year.
Plumber Salary by State
The states with the highest pay for plumbers are Hawaii, New York, Illinois, Alaska and Oregon. The states and territories with the lowest pay for plumbers are Puerto Rico, Guam, Arkansas, Alabama and South Dakota.
| Best & Worst States for Plumbers | ||
|---|---|---|
| States/Districts | Hourly | Yearly |
| Hawaii | $38.16 | $79,380 |
| New York | $37.49 | $77,990 |
| Illinois | $37.29 | $77,570 |
| Alaska | $35.35 | $73,530 |
| Oregon | $35.29 | $73,400 |
| Puerto Rico | $10.38 | $21,590 |
| Guam | $16.50 | $34,320 |
| Arkansas | $20.36 | $42,340 |
| Alabama | $20.67 | $42,980 |
| South Carolina | $20.77 | $43,200 |
Though certain states stand out for their high and low pay overall, there are often major differences in pay between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Plumbers in metropolitan areas tend to have higher wages.
Pay Rate Differences Between Metropolitan & Nonmetropolitan Areas in 2017
| More Rural City/Area | Hourly |
|---|---|
| Bellingham, WA | $48.28 |
| Chicago, IL | $39.24 |
| Albany, OR | $40.22 |
| More Urban City/Area | Hourly |
|---|---|
| Spokane, WA | $24.76 |
| Decatur, IL | $25.04 |
| Eugene, OR | $26.65 |
Job Market Competition
California has the most plumbers in the country, with 47,600. Texas is a close second with 42,000. New York has nearly 27,500, and Florida has over 24,000. Metropolitan areas tend to have greater concentrations of plumbers than nonmetropolitan areas. For example, the East Washington nonmetropolitan area has 40 plumbers versus the 4,700 plumbers in the Seattle, Wash. area.
States/territories with the fewest plumbers include Guam, Puerto Rico, Vermont, Washington DC, Wyoming and Delaware. However, this doesn’t mean that these are bad states for plumbers. Some have lower populations and high ratios of plumbers among the employed.
JOB MARKET DEMAND
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 16 percent increase in demand for plumbers through 2026, which means over 75,000 plumbers will be added to the industry. Below are states expected to hire the most plumbers from 2017 into 2019 and 2026. Find out which states expected to hire fewer or the same number of plumbers from 2017 into 2019 and 2026.
| New Plumber Job Openings from 2017 to 2019 | ||
|---|---|---|
| States Hiring More | New Jobs by 2019 | New Jobs by 2026 |
| California | 4,900 | 10,100 |
| Florida | 3,010 | 7,030 |
| New York | 1,080 | 6,560 |
| States Hiring Fewer | New Jobs by 2019 | New Jobs by 2026 |
| Alaska | -50 | 0 |
| Maine | 0 | 0 |
| West Virginia | 0 | 240 |
References:
- https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes472152.htm
- https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/
- http://www.projectionscentral.com/Projections/
- https://explorethetrades.org/plumbers-apprenticeship-journeyman-and-master-plumbers-understanding-the-difference/
- https://education.costhelper.com/plumbing-school.html
- https://explorethetrades.org/plumbers-cost-of-plumbing-training-programs/
- https://careerswiki.com/how-to-become-a-plumber/#Step_2_Get_Plumbing_Training
- http://www.mpal.com.au/cost_comp_chart.htm
- https://www.contractor-licensing.com/colorado/
- https://howtostartanllc.com/business-ideas/plumbing-company#earning
- https://work.chron.com/selfemployed-plumbers-pay-rate-28930.html
Stay Up to Date on Trends
Get the latest marketing & business tips in your inbox.