How Much Does a Pipefitter Make? (2024)
Plumbing · SOC Code 47-2152 · 5-year apprenticeship
The average pipefitter earns $69,782 per year ($34/hour) as of 2024, according to BLS data. Yearly income ranges from $52,280 to $100,110 depending on city, with entry-level workers earning about $53,180 and top earners making $135,950+.
Yes — top-decile pipefitters clear $100K in 15 of 30 metros
The 90th-percentile pipefitter in Portland, OR earns $135,950 per year ($65/hour). Reaching that tier typically takes journeyman-to-master progression plus union membership, specialization, or running a small contracting business. Median pipefitter pay nationally is $69,782 — the $100K mark is the high-earner ceiling, not the middle.
National Salary Range
Pipefitter salaries range from $52,280 to $100,110 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Pipefitter Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, OR | $100,110 | $53,180 – $135,950 | $77,008 | B | 4,920 |
| Chicago, IL | $98,890 | $50,210 – $123,600 | $92,421 | B | 14,230 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $97,020 | $50,220 – $122,730 | $91,528 | B | 5,070 |
| Seattle, WA | $87,160 | $50,630 – $148,620 | $58,497 | C | 6,540 |
| Boston, MA | $83,640 | $48,170 – $140,870 | $55,026 | C | 11,320 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $82,080 | $50,070 – $121,260 | $85,500 | B | 2,710 |
| Detroit, MI | $81,480 | $46,350 – $103,930 | $91,551 | B | 5,590 |
| New York, NY | $79,420 | $49,180 – $138,100 | $42,471 | D | 21,500 |
| St. Louis, MO | $73,060 | $46,290 – $113,320 | $81,178 | B | 4,150 |
| Kansas City, MO | $72,600 | $45,960 – $117,500 | $77,234 | B | 3,300 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $72,580 | $48,000 – $131,040 | $63,113 | C | 7,570 |
| San Francisco, CA | $71,700 | $50,720 – $142,380 | $37,737 | D | 7,090 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $66,930 | $46,550 – $99,470 | $72,750 | C | 2,880 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $66,090 | $47,550 – $86,700 | $63,548 | C | 3,070 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $65,110 | $45,530 – $125,580 | $39,223 | D | 13,440 |
| New Orleans, LA | $64,340 | $38,830 – $79,940 | $67,726 | C | 1,530 |
| Denver, CO | $64,300 | $48,000 – $102,170 | $50,234 | C | 5,220 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $63,780 | $44,550 – $98,670 | $70,088 | C | 4,160 |
| Columbus, OH | $63,600 | $40,460 – $98,080 | $68,387 | C | 2,740 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $62,680 | $46,100 – $99,200 | $60,854 | C | 9,990 |
| Dallas, TX | $60,370 | $38,480 – $82,760 | $59,186 | C | 11,120 |
| Houston, TX | $60,230 | $38,080 – $81,980 | $62,740 | C | 11,150 |
| Nashville, TN | $59,870 | $41,560 – $83,010 | $58,126 | C | 2,850 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $59,640 | $37,780 – $112,320 | $57,346 | C | 3,750 |
| Atlanta, GA | $58,690 | $38,160 – $83,420 | $55,368 | C | 4,610 |
| San Antonio, TX | $58,530 | $37,230 – $79,310 | $65,033 | C | 3,040 |
| Miami, FL | $56,170 | $39,380 – $72,520 | $46,041 | D | 5,130 |
| Raleigh, NC | $55,560 | $39,810 – $72,910 | $55,560 | C | 2,520 |
| Charlotte, NC | $55,550 | $38,470 – $75,230 | $56,684 | C | 4,210 |
| Tampa, FL | $52,280 | $38,650 – $65,210 | $51,762 | C | 4,120 |
About Pipefitter Pay
Pipefitters earn a national median salary of $69,782 based on 2024 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is Portland at $100,110 median, while Tampa offers the lowest at $52,280.
Becoming a pipefitter typically requires a 5-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $53,180, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $135,950 or more. With 6% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing at a steady pace.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Thinking about becoming a pipefitter?
Step-by-step path: 5-year apprenticeship, certifications, state licensing, and apprentice-to-master pay timeline.
Related Plumbing Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
Pipefitter work is physically demanding and can be stressful, especially under deadline pressure or in unsafe conditions. Pipefitters work in power plants, refineries, factories, and large commercial buildings. Work involves confined spaces, heights, and exposure to high-pressure systems. The trade rewards problem-solving, attention to detail, and the ability to work safely with tools and equipment. Most pipefitters say the difficulty drops sharply once they finish their apprenticeship and gain field experience.
The highest-paying pipefitter jobs are in Portland, OR, where the 90th percentile reaches $135,950 and the median is $100,110. The pay-driving specialties tend to be pipe welding and similar high-skill roles — workers who layer certifications and union membership on top of journeyman experience typically reach the 90th percentile within 10-15 years of entering the trade.
Typical certifications and licenses include: State pipefitter license; Welding certifications (AWS); OSHA 10/30-Hour; ASME pressure piping certifications. Specifics vary by state — most pipefitters also need OSHA safety training and a state-issued license before doing solo work.
Pipefitters earn a national median of $69,782 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 90th percentile reaching $135,950 in Portland. Specific pay depends on city, certifications, union status, and specialization — see the per-city table above for any metro you're targeting.
The average pipefitter salary is $69,782 per year ($34/hour) based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Average yearly income ranges from $52,280 to $100,110 depending on city, experience, and union status.
Pipefitters earn an average hourly wage of $34/hour based on a 2,080-hour work year. Entry-level (10th percentile) hourly pay is about $26/hour, while top earners (90th percentile) make $65/hour or more.
Portland offers the highest median pay for pipefitters at $100,110. However, cost of living matters, the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of C and 6% wage growth over 5 years, pipefitter offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 189,520 jobs nationwide across 30 metro areas.
Becoming a pipefitter typically requires a 5-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $53,180 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.
The this entity record above pulls directly from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. What follows is the per-entity context — how this entity sits in the broader U.S. skilled-trade wage data distribution and which underlying factors drive the headline numbers.
The methodology behind every numeric value on this page is publicly documented on the the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey portal and described in detail on this site’s methodology page. Refresh cadence varies by underlying series; the page surfaces the as-of date for each number so readers can trace any figure back to the source release.
Practical use of this page is in combination with the comparison and ranking pages elsewhere on the site, which surface the same data for this entity’s peers within U.S. trades, cities, and states. A single-entity reading without peer context can be misleading when an entity is an outlier on one axis but typical on another.