Plumbers’ Salaries in the US: Pay and Purchasing Power by State

The US depends on Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters to install and maintain the systems that keep homes, businesses, and infrastructure running. For people considering the trade, pay is part of the picture—and it can vary by location.

Median hourly earnings show what plumbers earn in each state. Cost-of-living-adjusted earnings add another perspective: how far those wages may go once differences in local prices are taken into account.

The state rankings show why a paycheck alone does not tell the whole story. A higher median hourly wage can look different after local costs are considered, while a lower nominal wage may go further in a less expensive state.

How have plumbers’ wages changed over time?

Median hourly wages for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters rose steadily from 2005 through 2020. But as inflation accelerated around 2021, wage growth began to lag behind rising prices. Pay continued to increase in dollar terms, but it did not keep pace with the cost of living.

Employment has recovered from the pandemic dip

Despite the pressure on purchasing power, employment in the occupation has grown over the longer term. The number of Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in the US increased steadily from 2012, dipped slightly during the pandemic, and has since recovered.

The skills and employers behind the work

The skills employers advertise for plumbers combine technical knowledge with the ability to work through problems and serve customers. Communication, troubleshooting, and customer service appear alongside knowledge of plumbing systems, pipes, and tools.

Job postings also give a sense of where hiring activity is coming from. Over the past year, Aerotek, GPAC, and Tradesmen International were among the top companies hiring for plumbers across the US.

A closer look at the skilled trades

Plumbing offers a useful example of why skilled-trade careers should be understood through more than one measure. State-level pay and purchasing power vary, wage growth has not kept pace with inflation, and employment has continued to recover. Together, these trends give workers, employers, and educators a clearer view of the opportunities and pressures shaping the occupation.

Lightcast’s research report, Defining the Skilled Trades: A Data-Driven Blueprint for the Future, provides a broader view of the occupations in this group and the workforce trends affecting them.