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Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Salary by State
There were an estimated 455,940 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters working in the United States in May 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey. The typical (median) plumber earned $62,970 a year, or $30.27 an hour, while the mean annual wage was $69,940. Pay spans a wide range even inside the same occupation: the lowest-paid 10% of plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters earned $40,670 or less, the bottom quarter earned $48,860 or less, the top quarter earned at least $81,900, and the top 10% earned at least $105,150. Where a plumber works matters almost as much as the job itself, as the state table below shows.
Where plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters earn the most — and least
The highest median pay for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters is in Illinois, at $96,200 a year — 52.8% higher than the national median of $62,970. Next are Oregon at $93,110 and Minnesota at $83,280. At the other end, West Virginia posts the lowest published median, $49,630, which is 21.2% lower than the national figure. That is a top-to-bottom spread of about 1.9 times between the highest- and lowest-paying states for the same occupation — a gap driven by local labor markets, licensing, employer mix, and cost of living rather than by differences in the job title itself.
Where the plumber jobs are
Employment is concentrated in a handful of large states. California alone employs 45,460 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, and the three largest states — California, Texas, and Florida — together account for 25% of all U.S. jobs in this occupation. Pay in the largest market, California, runs at a median of $68,390, 8.6% higher than the national median, so the biggest job market is also one of the better-paying ones. Smaller states can still be attractive: several low-population states post medians close to the national figure with far less competition for each opening.
Plumber salary by state — full table
Median and mean annual wages for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in every state where BLS publishes an estimate for May 2024, ranked by median pay. The 90th-percentile column shows what the top-earning tenth of plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in each state make. Follow a state link for that state's full wage tables, or open a detailed guide where one is available.
| State | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 18,730 | $46.25 | $96,200 | $89,180 | $123,290 |
| Oregon | 6,080 | $44.77 | $93,110 | $92,480 | $131,420 |
| Minnesota | 8,520 | $40.04 | $83,280 | $83,470 | $121,380 |
| Massachusetts | 15,670 | $40.03 | $83,260 | $87,390 | $140,500 |
| Alaska | 870 | $39.95 | $83,090 | $84,160 | $105,800 |
| District of Columbia | 640 | $39.40 | $81,950 | $83,840 | $107,270 |
| Washington | 12,210 | $38.02 | $79,070 | $87,360 | $139,280 |
| Hawaii | 2,640 | $37.76 | $78,540 | $85,320 | $115,160 |
| Wisconsin | 9,120 | $37.75 | $78,510 | $83,020 | $114,460 |
| New York | 22,630 | $37.72 | $78,460 | $84,510 | $128,540 |
| Montana | 1,810 | $37.47 | $77,930 | $73,120 | $93,960 |
| New Jersey | 9,840 | $37.10 | $77,160 | $89,320 | $133,260 |
| Michigan | 12,830 | $37.03 | $77,030 | $72,830 | $100,620 |
| Connecticut | 4,180 | $35.14 | $73,080 | $69,500 | $98,720 |
| California | 45,460 | $32.88 | $68,390 | $78,350 | $126,790 |
| Pennsylvania | 13,990 | $32.04 | $66,650 | $73,950 | $108,770 |
| Louisiana | 9,040 | $31.12 | $64,720 | $62,520 | $77,610 |
| Rhode Island | 1,790 | $31.07 | $64,630 | $72,760 | $106,530 |
| Indiana | 11,620 | $31.04 | $64,560 | $69,500 | $97,900 |
| Delaware | 1,570 | $30.92 | $64,300 | $65,220 | $86,900 |
| Colorado | 9,970 | $30.58 | $63,610 | $67,020 | $98,680 |
| Maryland | 11,490 | $30.42 | $63,270 | $69,980 | $105,610 |
| Nebraska | 4,240 | $30.23 | $62,880 | $68,660 | $93,350 |
| Kansas | 4,090 | $30.20 | $62,820 | $68,710 | $104,300 |
| North Dakota | 1,650 | $30.13 | $62,670 | $65,760 | $89,630 |
| Ohio | 14,490 | $30.06 | $62,530 | $66,940 | $96,310 |
| Kentucky | 5,500 | $29.98 | $62,370 | $66,500 | $92,970 |
| Missouri | 7,900 | $29.85 | $62,090 | $70,380 | $107,400 |
| New Hampshire | 2,530 | $29.82 | $62,030 | $64,080 | $85,480 |
| Arizona | 12,330 | $29.78 | $61,940 | $67,010 | $98,310 |
| Maine | 2,480 | $29.76 | $61,890 | $65,740 | $80,380 |
| Utah | 6,770 | $29.65 | $61,680 | $62,600 | $81,460 |
| Wyoming | 1,140 | $29.56 | $61,480 | $62,070 | $81,220 |
| Iowa | 6,350 | $29.44 | $61,230 | $64,860 | $92,690 |
| Vermont | 960 | $29.11 | $60,550 | $63,230 | $91,990 |
| Nevada | 5,330 | $28.90 | $60,120 | $67,380 | $108,690 |
| New Mexico | 2,900 | $28.68 | $59,660 | $61,090 | $84,090 |
| Virginia | 13,190 | $28.64 | $59,560 | $58,820 | $76,650 |
| Texas | 42,290 | $28.15 | $58,560 | $59,500 | $81,510 |
| Mississippi | 3,050 | $27.87 | $57,960 | $57,490 | $77,270 |
| Tennessee | 8,810 | $27.76 | $57,730 | $59,430 | $81,570 |
| Idaho | 3,710 | $27.59 | $57,380 | $59,110 | $79,550 |
| Georgia | 7,530 | $27.06 | $56,290 | $59,470 | $83,070 |
| Oklahoma | 7,110 | $26.36 | $54,840 | $56,890 | $79,880 |
| South Carolina | 5,480 | $26.37 | $54,840 | $55,390 | $77,660 |
| Alabama | 7,880 | $25.89 | $53,840 | $54,720 | $74,480 |
| North Carolina | 14,300 | $24.52 | $50,990 | $54,120 | $72,650 |
| South Dakota | 1,800 | $24.42 | $50,790 | $55,090 | $75,290 |
| Florida | 26,730 | $24.30 | $50,540 | $53,630 | $67,500 |
| Arkansas | 3,080 | $23.89 | $49,700 | $51,630 | $69,940 |
| West Virginia | 1,860 | $23.86 | $49,630 | $55,730 | $81,360 |
Plumber wages in U.S. territories
| Area | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin Islands | 60 | $23.51 | $48,910 | $56,420 | $101,990 |
| Guam | 440 | $18.23 | $37,920 | $40,210 | $50,760 |
| Puerto Rico | 760 | $13.31 | $27,690 | $29,180 | $37,210 |
How to read these numbers
The median is the middle wage: half of plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters earn more and half earn less. The mean is pulled up by the highest earners, which is why the mean of $69,940 sits above the median of $62,970 for this occupation. OEWS wages are gross pay before taxes and benefits, and BLS converts hourly rates to annual figures on a 2,080-hour, year-round full-time basis; part-time and seasonal workers' actual annual earnings can be lower. Figures marked with a plus sign are at or above the BLS reporting cap of $239,200 a year ($115.00 an hour).
Plumber salary FAQ
What is the average plumber salary?
BLS put the mean annual wage for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters at $69,940 in May 2024, with a median of $62,970 ($30.27 an hour) across 455,940 U.S. jobs.
Which state pays plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters the most?
Illinois has the highest median pay for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, at $96,200 a year in May 2024 — 52.8% higher than the national median of $62,970.
Which state pays plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters the least?
Among states where BLS publishes an estimate, West Virginia has the lowest median for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, at $49,630 a year, 21.2% lower than the national median.
How many plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters are there in the United States?
BLS estimated 455,940 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters jobs in May 2024. The largest state market is California, with 45,460 jobs.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.