---
title: "Plumber Salary: Pay Range, Hourly Rates and Top Earners"
description: "How much plumbers make: BLS May 2025 pay for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters from the bottom 10 percent to the top, hourly rates and raises."
url: https://shapemycareer.com/salary/plumber/
updated: 2026-10-11
site: ShapeMyCareer
---

Trade pay · Plumber

# Plumber salary

What the pipe trades pay at every level.

BLS wage data, May 2025

BLS counts plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters together, so the numbers below cover all three. The spread is wide: helpers and new apprentices at the bottom, licensed master plumbers and industrial pipefitters at the top.

In short

Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earned a median $63,800 a year in May 2025, or about $31 an hour, according to BLS. The bottom 10 percent earned less than $44,150, and the top 10 percent more than $108,420. New apprentices start near the bottom. Licensed plumbers who run service calls or commercial jobs, and industrial pipefitters, tend to earn the most.

**Sources checked October 11, 2026** Pay, training and outlook come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay is the middle (median) figure nationally; your first paycheck in the trade will usually be lower.

Bottom 10% earn under**$44,150** about $21.23 an hour

Bottom quarter under**$50,190** about $24.13 an hour

Middle (median)**$63,800** about $30.67 an hour

Top quarter over**$85,110** about $40.92 an hour

Top 10% over**$108,420** about $52.12 an hour

Yearly wages for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters across the U.S., [BLS OEWS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/), May 2025. Hourly figures divide by 2,080 hours, so overtime is not counted. New apprentices usually sit near or below the bottom-quarter line.

| Middle pay | $63,800 a year, roughly $30.67 an hour (May 2025) |
|---|---|
| How most people start | High school or GED to start, then apprenticeship |
| People in the trade | About 510,600 nationwide (2025) |
| Growth to 2035 | BLS expects 6.8% growth |
| Openings a year | Around 42,000, counting retirements |

From the [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm) Employment Projections table (2025 to 2035) and May 2025 wage survey. These are U.S. numbers. Local shops may pay above or below them, and apprentices start well under the middle figure.

## What moves plumbing pay

- **License level:** a journeyman license raises your rate, and a master license lets you pull permits and run your own jobs in most places.
- **Service vs new construction:** service plumbers often earn commission or flat-rate bonuses on top of hourly pay.
- **Industrial pipe:** pipefitters and steamfitters on refineries, power plants and big mechanical jobs often earn above the median.
- **Union scale:** union plumbers and fitters usually have negotiated wages plus benefits.

## On-call and emergency work

Many plumbing companies pay extra for nights, weekends and emergency calls. That extra pay is not in the BLS numbers above, which exclude overtime, but it can add a meaningful amount over a year.

### Start on the plumbing path

Tell us your ZIP and we will send plumbing training options near you.

[Find training near me](#smc-form)

## Straight answers

### How much does a plumber make an hour?

The median is about $31 an hour. The top 10 percent earn over $52 an hour.

### Do plumbers make more than electricians?

They are close. In May 2025 the median for plumbers and pipefitters was $63,800 and for electricians $63,190.

### How much do plumbing apprentices make?

Apprentices earn a share of the journeyman rate that climbs on a schedule. See [apprentice pay](https://shapemycareer.com/apprenticeships/apprentice-pay/).

## Where this comes from

- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/)
- [Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/plumbers-pipefitters-and-steamfitters.htm)
- [BLS OOH: Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/plumbers-pipefitters-and-steamfitters.htm)
- [BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2 (2025 to 2035)](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm)

## Keep looking

- [Plumbing](https://shapemycareer.com/trades/plumbing/)
- [Plumbing apprenticeship](https://shapemycareer.com/apprenticeships/plumbing/)
- [Pipefitter](https://shapemycareer.com/trades/pipefitter/)
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